"^""Mry^iSr"^^  }    P'^ctciiccd  Notes  from  Foreign  Journals.  247 
PKACTICAL  NOTES  FEOM  FOREIGN  JOURNALS. 
By  the  Editor. 
The  Ferments  of  Pancreas. — According  to  A.  Becharap,  the  micro- 
zymes  are  readily  obtained,  particularly  in  winter,  by  grinding  the 
pancreatic  gland  with  water  containing  a  little  alcohol,  and  by  filtering 
and  washing.  Obtained  from  the  pancreas  of  the  ox,  they  resemble 
beer  yeast  in  appearance.  They  are  freed  from  a  layer  of  fat  by  treat- 
ment with  ether,  and  from  all  soluble  substances  by  washing  with 
water.  Viewed  under  the  microscope,  they  are  scarcely  0*0005  mm. 
in  diameter,  are  free  from  bacteria,  have  a  grey-brown  color,  liquefy 
starch  paste  very  rapidly,  and  impart  to  water  by  maceration  the  same 
property.  From  20  beef  pancreas  the  author  obtained  130  grams 
moist  microzymes,  containing  12  per  cent,  of  dry  substance.  Of  these, 
3  to  4  grams  would  dissolve  36  to  45  grams  moist,  but  well  pressed, 
fibrin  in  1  or  2  hours ;  casein,  musculin  and  acidalbumin  (prepared 
from  fuming  hydrochloric  acid  and  albumen)  require  a  somewhat 
longer  time. 
The  pancreas  peptone  differs  from  the  peptone  of  the  stomach  in 
the  former,  producing  with  albuminoids  crystalline  compounds  like 
leucin,  etc.  From  15  grams  dry  fibrinin  and  6  grams  pancreatic 
microzymes  (0'8  grams  dry  substance)  2*5  grams  crystallized  products 
were  obtained.  The  active  substance  of  the  pancreatic  gland  has  been 
named  pancreazymase.  The  microzymes  do  not  lose  their  activity  by 
acting  upon  albuminoids,  but  may  be  used  again.  Acting  even  upon 
casein,  not  the  slightest  trace  of  putrid  odor  is  observable  after  24 
hours.  The  author  regards  these  microzymes  as  cells  with  soluble 
contents  in  an  insoluble  shell,  the  former  being  capable  to  penetrate 
the  latter. — Chem.  Centralhlatt,  1881,  p.  152,  Compt.  Fend.,  vol.  92. 
Fry  narcotic  extracts  of  excellent  quality  are  obtained,  according  to 
W.  Kirch mann,  by  mixing  the  extract  with  an  equal  weight  of  exsic- 
cated sodium  sulphate,  drying  the  mixture  completely  at  a  temperature 
not  exceeding  50 °C.,  and  adding  sufficient  exsiccated  sodium  sulphate 
to  make  the  weight  of  the  mixture  equal  to  twice  the  weight  of  the 
extract  employed. — Fhar.  Zeitung,  1881,  p.  116. 
Unguentum  Acidi  Borici,  Lister^s  Salve. — The  formula — boric  acid, 
white  wax,  each  1*0;  paraffin,  2*0;  expressed  oil  of  almond,  6*0 — 
yields  a  salve  which,  particularly  in  cold  weather,  is  brittle  like  wax. 
A  formula  proposed  as  a  substitute  directs  boric  acid,  2*0,  to  be  dis- 
