156 
Varieties. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
March.  1887. 
VARIETIES. 
Subnitrate  of  Bismuth  as  a  Dressing. — (1  •  Subnitrate  of  bismuth  possesses 
antiseptic  properties  at  least  tqual  to  those  of  iodoform.  (2)  ISTo  poisonous 
effects  are  to  be  apprehended,  as  in  the  employment  of  iodoform.  (3)  The 
subnitrate  of  bismuth,  being  a  chemically  indifferent  substance,  does  not 
irritate  the  wounds ;  secretion  is  diminished.  (4)  Its  action  is  very  prolonged, 
although  not  vigorous,  so  that  the  dressings  do  not  need  to  be  frequently  changed, 
and  rest  is  insured  for  the  wounds.  (5)  There  is  no  action  at  a  distance,  nor 
does  any  specific  effect  attach  to  it.  ( 6)  It  does  not  afford  protection  against  ery- 
sipelas and  other  wound  diseases,  at  least  no  more  than  iodoform.  (7)  It  is  no 
disinfectant,  but  as  an  antiseptic  it  keeps  the  wounds  pure.  (8)  All  wounds 
capable  of  healing  by  first  intention  can  do  so  when  dressed  with  bismuth. 
(9)  It  also  represents  an  excellent  material  for  forming  scabs  under  which 
epidermis  can  grow  over  the  wound.  Its  use  on  granula  ing  wounds  has  not, 
however,  been  sufficiently  studied  as  yet. — Annals  of  Surgery.  See  also  Amer. 
Jour.  Phar.  ,  1884,  p.  598. 
Boro-phenol. — This  new  disinfectant  is  a  combination  of  borax  and  carbolic 
acid,  and  is  intended  for  antiseptic  and  disinfecting  purposes.  The  first  thing 
we  notice  about  it  is  that  it  has  an  odor  which  is  really  agreeable.  This  in 
itself  is  an  immense  advance  on  the  old  fashioned  carbolic  acid  preparations. 
We  find,  too,  that  it  is  completely  soluble  in  water,  and  that  it  forms  a  solution 
which  may  be  used  for  all  the  purposes  for  which  the  ordinary  carbolic  acid 
disinfectants  are  applicable.  The  new  combination  has,  however,  to  be  used 
in  very  much  smaller  quantities  than  the  carbolic  acid  disinfecting  powder. 
—Quart.  Therap.  Rev.,  1887,  p.  3. 
Antiseptic  Powder. — Lucas-Championiere  recommends  an  intimate  mixture 
of  equal  parts  of  finely  powdered  and  sifted  iodoform,  quinine,  benzoin,  and 
carbonate  of  magnesium  saturated  with  oil  of  eucalyptus.  This  powder  may 
be  applied  directly  to  a  wound  or  over  a  protective  covering,  and  should  be 
covered  with  cotton  wool,  and  over  this  again  macintosh  should  be  kept  in 
position  by  a  bandage.  After  large  operations  the  dressing  should  be  renewed 
every  third  day;  after  small  ones  it  may  remain  on  eight  days. — L' Union 
Medicate,  December  11, 1886. 
Concentric  Composite  Pflls. — J.  Mortimer  Granville  suggests  a  method  of 
compounding  pills,  which,  he  thinks,  possesses  important  advantages.  If  one 
desires,  for  example,  to  administer  one  drug  which  shall  be  dissolved  in  the 
stomach  with  one  which  shall  be  dissolved  in  the  intestine,  the  core  of  the 
pill,  which  is  to  be  last  acted  upon,  is  first  made  and  coated  with  keratin, 
which  is  not  acted  upon  by  the  acid  gastric  juice,  but  dissolves  readily  in  the 
alkaline  fluids  of  the  intestine.  The  pillule  is  covered  then  with  the  desired 
quantity  of  the  drug  which  is  to  act  on  the  stomach,  and  is  again  coated  with 
gelatin  or  sugar,  like  ordinary  pills  — Brit.  Med.  Jour.,  Oct.  9, 1886. 
Piperine  has  been  successfully  used  in  several  cases  of  intermittent  fever, 
which  were  not  cured  by  quinine.  It  was  given  in  dcses  of  three  to  five 
grains,  repeated  every  hour  or  every  two  hours. — Brit.  Med.  Jour. 
Tannin. — MM.  Raymond  and  Arthaud  have  made  some  comparative  re- 
searches on  the  action  of  s^phide  <>f  carbon,  iodoform,  and  tannic  acid  in 
tuberculous  patients.    Having  found  that  when  tannin  had  been  administered 
