274 
VARIETIES. 
by  drop,  and  then  incorporated  with  the  syrup.  When  it  is  desired  to  add 
the  iodide  of  potassium,  6  or  8  grammes  are  previously  dissolved  in  the  ' 
smallest  possible  quantity  of  water,  and  incorporated  with  the  iron  and 
iodine  before  the  syrup  is  added.  A  tablespoonful  of  this  syrup  is  given 
in  a  bitter  tisane,  (that  of  hops,  prepared  according  to  the  Paris 
Codex,  being  the  best,)  night  and  morning. — Ibid,  from  Gaz.  des  IJopi- 
taux,  No.  22. 
On  live  Medicinal  Uses  of  Urate  of  Ammonia.  By  Dr.  Bauer. — Five 
years'  observation  has  convinced  Dr.  Bauer  that  this  is  a  most  valuable 
medicine  in  chronic  cutaneous  diseases  and  in  tubercular  diseases  of  the 
lung.  An  ointment  containing  one  scruple  to  the  ounce,  is  applied  by  a 
pencil  to  the  eruption  night  and  morning,  the  cure  being  effected  in  from 
one  to  three  weeks.  In  tubercular  disease  the  ointment  is  rubbed  in  al- 
ternately night  and  morning  on  the  back  and  front  of  the  chest.  No  in- 
flammatory complication  should  be  present  during  its  employment. 
In  reference  to  this  substance  it  is  interesting  to  observe,  that  in  Colom- 
bia, South  America,  where  lepra  prevails  so  extensively,  the  benefit  de- 
rived from  the  internal  and  external  use  of  guano  has  been  placed  beyond 
all  doubt;  and  Dr.  Lallemand  has  found  it  of  great  utility  in  the  treatment 
of  morphse  in  the  Brazils.  The  urate  of  ammonia,  which  is  found  in  this 
substance  in  great  abundance,  is  probably  the  chief  medicinal  agent. — 
Ibid,  from  Buchner's  Repert.,  No.  19,  p.  86. 
On  the  Deprivation  of  the  Noxious  Power  of  Poisonous  Mushrooms. — 
By  M.  Gerard. — M.  Gerard  has  recently  exhibited  before  a  committee  of 
the  Paris  Council  of  Health,  the  complete  innocuousness  of  the  most 
poisonous  species  of  mushroom,  after  being  subjected  to  a  very  simple 
mode  of  preparation.  The  experiment  was  exhibited  in  his  own  person, 
after  both  he  and  all  the  members  of  his  family  had  made  similar  trials 
with  the  like  result.  Two  of  the  most  poisonous  forms  were  chosen : 
amanita  muscaria  and  venenosa,  of  Pearson  ;  and  the  trial  was  pronounced 
quite  satisfactory.  The  preparation,  principally  consisting  in  suitable 
maceration,  has,  indeed,  been  long  practiced  to  some  extent  by  the  country 
people.  The  researches  of  Letellier  have  also  shown  that  the  principle 
which  he  calls  amanitine,  is  very  deliquescent,  and  is  remarkably  and 
almost  exclusively  soluble  in  water.  Alcohol  only  takes  it  up  by  reason 
of  the  small  quantity  of  water  which  it  contains  ;  and  when  amanitine 
renders  sulphuric  ether  yellow,  this  is  owing  to  imperfect  rectification. 
M.  Gerard  directs  that  to  every  500  grammes  of  mushrooms  cut  up  into  a 
medium  size,  a  litre  of  water,  slightly  acidulated  by  two  or  three  spoon- 
fuls of  vinegar  (or,  if  nothing  else  is  at  hand,  gray  salt,)  should  be  added. 
If  the  water  alone  can  be  obtained,  this  must  be  renewed  once  or  twice. 
In  this  fluid  the  fungi  are  to  be  macerated  for  two  entire  hours,  after 
which  they  are  to  be  washed  in  abundance  of  water.    Next  they  are  to 
