S60 
Practical  Notes. 
{  Am.  .Tour.  Pharni. 
\      July, 1881. 
Mercuric  Peptone  is  a  mixture  of  peptone^  mercuric  chloride  and 
sodium  chloride,  made  in  such  proportions  that  the  mercury  is  no 
longer  precipitated  by  alkalies.  Triturate  together  corrosive  subli- 
mate 1  gram,  sodium  chloride  2  grams  and  dry  peptone  1  gram,  dis- 
solve in  the  smallest  possible  quantity  of  water,  filter,  evaporate  in 
vacuo  to  complete  dryness  and  again  triturate  well;  the  product  dis- 
solves in  distilled  water  without  leaving  any  residue.  It  is  given  in 
pills  containing  0"04  gram  of  mercuric  peptone,  equal  to  O'Ol  gram  of 
corrosive  sublimate.  For  hypodermic  use  mercuric  peptone  4  gram 
is  dissolved  in  distilled  water  100  grams;  the  solution  contains  1  per 
<3ent.  of  corrosive  sublimate. — Rep.  de  Phar.,  May,  1881,  p.  213-216. 
Preservation  of  Juices  and  Alimentary  Substances. — Mr.  Campion, 
of  Beauvais,  has  constructed  an  apparatus  for  the  preservation  of  fer- 
mentable substances,  Avhicli  are  first  heated  by  means  of  a  water-bath 
to  between  60  and  80° C.  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  the  ferment 
present,  and  by  atmospheric  pressure  are  then  forced  into  a  bottle  from 
which  the  air  has  been  previously  removed  by  means  of  an  air-pump, 
after  which  the  bottle  is  stoppered.  The  apparatus  is  easily  operated 
and  occupies  little  space.  The  juices  of  asparagus,  mulberries,  quinces, 
etc.,  as  well  as  syrups,  have  been  perfectly  preserved  in  this  manner 
for  more  than  a  year. — Bull.  Sac.  Phar.  Bordeaux,  1881,  p.  24-27. 
Preservation  of  Solution  and  Syruj)  of  Ferrous  Iodide. — Carles 
recommends  the  addition  of  a  few  per  cent,  of  hydrated  sulphide  of 
iron  to  Dupasquier's  solution  of  ferrous  iodide,  whereby  the  latter 
is  preserved  for  an  indefinite  time.  A  solution  whiclf  from  oxidation 
has  become  colored  is  rendered  colorless  again  by  agitation  for  a  short 
time  with  ferrous  sulphide. 
According  to  Carles,  the  syrup  is  best  preserved  by  the  addition  of 
a  little  citric  acid,  of  which  1*5  gram  will  be  sufficient  for  1,300  grams 
of  the  syrup. — Bull.  Soc.  Phar.  du  Sud-Ouest. 
Ferrous  Sucro carbonate. — In  the  preparation  of  Vallet's  mass  with 
cane  sugar,  C.  Tanret  obtained  a  syrupy  mass  interspersed  with  opaque 
cr3^stals  of  a  brown  color,  the  lateral  faces  being  inclined  at  an  angle 
of  79'40°.  The  crystals  have  the  spec.  grav.  1"85  and  the  composi- 
tion (Ci2ll220ji)3(Fe2C03)2.  Tlicy  are  decomposed  by  neutral  solvents 
of  sugar,  ferrous  carbonate  being  precipitated. — Jour.  Phar.  Chhn. 
Gelatinization  of  Infusion  of  Menyanthes. — An  infusion  of  buck- 
bean,  Menyanthes  trifoliata,  to  which  cane  sugar  has  been  added,  gel- 
atinizes in  a  few  days,  but  remains  liquid  if  free  from  sugar.  An 
