GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  FRENCH  JOURNALS.  415 
No.  3.  For  adults. 
Precipitated  sulphur  8  grains,  resin  of  jalap  and  resin  of 
scammony  of  each  5  grs. 
The  powders  are  well  mixed  in  the  paste  of  the  biscuit  and 
baked  in  an  oven,  increasing  the  quantities  to  suit  the  number 
of  biscuits  to  be  made. 
Oil  of  Ground  Nuts,  (Araehis  hypogea.) — According  to  M. 
Perrins,  editor  of  the  Jour,  de  Pharm.  de  Bordeaux,  ground- 
nut oil  may  be  used  instead  of  olive  oil  for  preparing  leadplaster 
and  medicated  oils.  It  has  the  advantage  of  costing  less  than 
olive  oil,  and  is  less  disposed  to  become  rancid.  [The  ground- 
nut oil  in  use  in  Philadelphia  has  too  much  odor  to  replace  olive 
oil  for  many  purposes. — Editor.] 
Formation  of  Qyanide  of  Potassium  in  smoking  Cigarettes  of 
Belladonna  and  other  Solaneo?. — M.  Marchand,  of  St.  Germain, 
(Repertoire  de  Pharmacie,  Mai,  1850),  states  that  cyanide  of 
potassium  is  formed  during  the  combustion  of  medicinal  segars 
from  the  nitrogenous  products  of  the  alkaloid  with  the  potassa  of 
the  nitrate  of  potassa  found  in  them,  and  that  cyanogen  may  be 
detected  by  drawing  the  smoke  through  a  solution  of  potassa 
and  testing  with  a  persalt  of  iron. 
Oily  Solution  of  Oleate  of  Binoxide  of  Mercury  Prof.  Janneb 
of  Bordeaux,  gives  the  following  formula  for  making  this  mercu- 
rial preparation  : 
Take  of  Pulverized  red  oxide  of  mercury  10  parts. 
Crude  oleic  acid  100  « 
Sweet  oil  of  almonds  200  " 
Distilled  water  300  « 
Introduce  the  whole  into  a  flask,  heat  to  104°  Fahr.,  during 
48  hours,  agitating  from  time  to  time.  The  oxide  of  mercury 
being  dissolved,  throw  the  contents  of  the  flask  on  a  filter  ;  the 
water  passes  rapidly,  and  after  the  paper  has  dried,  the  oily 
solution  slowly  passes  through,  requiring  about  thre  e  days 
for  9  ounces.  The  solution  is  limpid,  amber  colored,  visc1d,  odor 
analogous  to  oleic  acid,  and  taste  at  first  sweet  but  very  dis- 
agreeable afterwards.  It  keeps  well  unless  exposed  to  the  direct 
solar  rays,  when  the  oxide  of  mercury  is  reduced  and  me  Gallic 
mercury  precipitated.  It  is  used  both  internally  and  externally 
(Rep.  de  Pharm.  Mai,  1859.) 
