290 
Progress  in  Pharmacy. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
June,  1904. 
Gillig  believes  that  the  most  desirable  seed  available  at  the  present 
time  is  that  of  Strophanthus  Gratus  (Wal.  and  Hook.).  Strophan- 
tus Gratus  contains  a  glucoside  that  is  readily  crystallized.  This  has 
been  designated  gratus  strophanthin  by  Thorns,  who  believes  it  to 
rnve  high  therapeutic  value.  It  has  the  following  chemical  compo- 
sition: C30H4O12  qHjjq.  Gratus  strophanthin  is  soluble  in  100  parts 
of  water  at  ordinary  temperatures,  more  readily  soluble  in  alcohol 
and  amyl-alcohol ;  it  is  but  slightly  soluble  in  ether,  chloroform  and 
acetic  ether. 
Mydriatic  Alkaloid  in  Lactuca  Virosa. — Messrs.  E.  H.  Farr  and  R. 
Wright  at  a  recent  meeting  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Society  of  Great 
Britain  contributed  an  account  of  a  careful  investigation  into  the 
controversy  on  the  existence  of  a  mydriatic  alkaloid  in  Lactuca 
Virosa.  The  results  of  a  careful  investigation  appear  to  confirm 
Dymond's  assertions  that  Lactuca  Virosa  contains  a  mydriatic  alka- 
loid in  demonstrable  quantities.    (See  A.  J.  P.,  1892,  page  46) 
The  Distribution  of  Alkaloids  in  Conium  Maculatum,  was  the  sub- 
ject of  another  very  interesting  paper,  presented  by  Messrs.  Farr 
and  Wright,  at  a  recent  meeting  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Society. 
{Chem.  and  Drug.,  1904,  page  266.) 
They  demonstrate  that  the  development  of  the  alkaloid  is  closely 
associated  with  the  development  of  the  fruit. 
The  amount  of  alkaloid  found  varied  from  0*03 1  per  cent,  in  the 
leaves  of  young  plants  to  0-975  Per  cent,  in  the  green  fruit  of  plants 
having  reached  their  full  growth. 
The  results  obtained  by  the  writers  of  this  paper  would  appear  to 
favor  the  continued  use  of  conium  seed  in  preference  to  any  other 
portion  of  the  plant. 
Fetron. — This  is  the  name  given  by  the  manufacturers  to  a  new 
ointment  base  that  is  said  to  combine  many  of  the  qualities  of  lanolin 
and  vaseline,  facilitating  absorption  while  at  the  same  time  providing 
an  efficient  protective  covering. 
Fetron  is  a  solution  of  stearic  acid  anilide  in  vaseline.  The  former, 
a  white  crystalline  substance,  melting  at  93 0  C,  and  formed  by 
heating  anilide  with  stearic  acid.  Stearic  anilide  offers  great  resist- 
ance to  chemical  reagents,  being  unaffected  by  boiling  with  caustic 
alkalies,  and  passing  through  the  human  system  unchanged.  It  may 
be  mixed  with  a  great  diversity  of  medicaments  without  influencing 
their  action  or  exerting  any  of  its  own  and  does  not  become  rancid 
or  decompose  on  exposure. 
