568 
THERAPEUTIC  PROPERTIES  OP  S  ARS  APA  RILL  A. 
the  fusing  point  at  189°,  195°  and  205°  C,  and  concludes  that  it 
is  at  a  much  higher  temperature  than  has  hitherto  been  supposed, 
in  the  neighborhood  of  200°  C.  (392°  F.) — Wittsteins  VierL 
Schr.  viii.  338—340.  J.  M.  m. 
ON  THE  THERAPEUTIC  PRORERTIES  OF  SARSAPARILLA. 
By  Prof.  Bocker,  of  Bonn. 
Dr.  A.  M.  Adam,  in  some  interesting  Medical  Notes  from  the 
Continent,  refers  to  some  experiments  by  Prof.  Bocker  upon 
sarsaparilla,  as  yet  unpublished.  Dr.  Bgcher  told  Dr.  Adam, 
"  that  after  carefully  performing  ninety-eight  experiments  with 
this  drug  on  healthy  people,  he  found  that,  contrary  to  all  our 
usually  received  opinions  on  the  subject,  it  possesses  neither 
diuretic  nor  diaphoretic  properties.  Another  series  of  twenty- 
six  experiments,  on  the  persons  of  uncured  syphilitic  patients, 
gave  exactly  the  same  results.  Bocker  also  satisfied  himself 
that  sarza  does  not  increase  the  efficacy  of  the  agents,  such  as 
iod.  potass.,  &c,  which  are  usually  given  along  with  it  ;  and 
that  the  good  results  obtained  by  the  administration  of  this  salt, 
dissolved  in  decoction  of  sarza,  are  in  no  degree  attributable  to 
any  virtue  in  the  solvent  fluid.  I  told  Dr.  Bocker  that  I  remem- 
bered hearing  Professor  Syme,  many  years  ago,  express  his 
opinion  on  the  utter  uselessness  of  so  expensive  a  drug  as  sarza, 
remarking,  in  his  own  quaint,  forcible  style,  that  he  believed  an 
«  infusion  of  hay'  would  be  just  as  good,  and  a  vast  deal  cheaper. 
He  seemed  amused,  and  said  that  he  entirely  agreed  with  Syme  ; 
that  infusion  of  sarza  had  no  greater  effect  on  the  system  than 
so  much  common  tea ;  and  that  we  must  regard  it  merely  as  a 
pleasant,  but  very  expensive,  vehicle  for  the  administration  of 
other  medicines. — Edinburgh  MedicalJournal. 
PERMANENT  PURPLE  OR  LILAC  DYE. 
Several  correspondents  having  applied  for  information  respect- 
ing the  purple  dye  which  is  now  so  extensively  used  for  giving  to 
silks,  &c,  the  different  shades  of  purple  or  mauve,  we  give  the 
following  extract  from  the  Specification  of  Mr.  Perkin's  patent, 
