320  Literature  Relating  to  Pharmacy.  {AmjJu0ne?if97arm' 
RECENT  LITERATURE  RELATING  TO  PHARMACY. 
PASSION  FLOWER,  PASSIFLORA  INCARNATA,  IN  EPILEPSY  AND  OTHER 
NEUROSES. 
S.  D.  Bullington,  M.D.  {Nashville  Journal  of  Medicine  and 
Surgery,  March,  1897),  reported  some  very  favorable  results  from 
the  administration  of  the  fluid  extract  of  passion  flower,  either 
alone  or  in  conjunction  with  other  medicines,  in  a  number  of  cases 
of  nervous  disorder. 
A  case  of  epilepsy  of  twenty-six  years'  standing  showed  marked 
improvement  after  treatment  with  this  drug,  although,  of  course,  it 
was  not  hoped  to  effect  a  cure  in  a  case  of  so  long  standing. 
Various  cases  of  insomnia,  hysteria  and  neurasthenia  were  like- 
wise treated  with  the  drug  with  satisfactory  results. 
The  author  stated  that  the  fluid  extract,  mixed  well  with  water 
or  simple  elixir,  was  pleasant  to  take,  and  an  admirable  substitute  for 
bromide. 
Another  feature  in  its  favor  was  that  no  ill  effects  seemed  to 
follow  its  use,  either  temporary  or  continued. 
COMMERCIAL  GINGER  AND  ESSENCE  OF  GINGER. 
W.  S.  Glass  (Pharmaceutical  Journal,  March  20,  1897)  examined 
samples  of  Jamaica,  Cochin  and  African  ginger,  with  a  view  to 
obtaining  a  satisfactory  essence.  His  results  are  given  in  the  follow- 
ing table,  the  percentages  of  oleoresin  obtained  by  three  other 
writers  being  also  given  for  comparison : 
Author 
.  Thresh. 
SlGGINS.1 
RiegeL. 
Moisture. 
Ash. 
Extract 
or 
Oleoresin. 
Extract 
or 
Oleoresin. 
Extract 
or 
Oleoresin. 
Extract 
or 
Oleoresin. 
Jamaica  
9'33 
5*3 
5-00 
3*290 
5"oo 
5 
Cochin  
1 1  •00 
4-6 
4  33 
4'965 
8-oo 
5'5 
6-33 
8075 
(A  6-17 
\B  7-00 
1  Am.  Jour.  Pharm.,  Vol.  60,  p.  278. 
The  extract  was  prepared  by  exhausting  the  drug  with  ether  and 
evaporating  at  a  low  temperature.  The  African  variety  required 
most  ether  and  yielded  the  highest  percentage  of  extract ;  but,  as 
