350  Abstracts  from  the  French  Journals.  {Am'Jii^[i^axm- 
Piperonal '  an  antiseptic. — Piperonal  or  heliotropin  has  been  used  onlv 
in  perfumery.  It  is  called  heliotropin,  because  found  in  the  flowers  of 
heliotropium  peruvianum.  Piperonal  is  obtained  by  oxidation  of 
piperic  acid  with  potassium  permanganate  in  alkaline  solution.  Frag- 
gani  recommends  heliotropin  as  antiseptic  and  antipyretic.  It  is 
given  in  doses  of  1*0  gram  every  2  or  3  hours,  or  four  times  a  dav, 
even  larger  doses  (2 — 3  grams)  may  be  given  at  one  dose. — Pharm. 
Centralhalle,  xxviii,  page  253. 
Iodoform  plaster,  an  excellent  application  to  chafed  surfaces.- — Dis- 
solve pure  gelatin  5*0  in  hot  water  25*0,  add  glycerin  and  iodoform  of 
each  1*0. 
The  plaster  is  spread  on  shirting.  To  use  it  it  is  immersed  in 
Avater  and  slightly  warmed,  when  it  becomes  soft  and  flexible. — Phar. 
Centralhalle,  xxviii,  page  253. 
Uses  of  saccharin. — Saccharin  is  almost  insoluble  in  water,  its  so- 
lubility is  considerably  increased  by  the  addition  of  bicarbonate  of  so- 
dium. A  small  quantity  of  this  saccharin  mixture  suffices  to  agree- 
ably sweeten  the  food  and  beverages  of  diabetic  patients. 
Fahlberg's  saccharin-chinin  is  a  mixture  of  36  parts  saccharin  and 
and  64  parts  of  quinine.  Pallatschek  recommends  the  following  mix- 
ture :  Saccharin  1.07,  sodium  bicarb.  1*2,  distilled  water  100*0,  sul- 
phate of  quinine  1*0.    Phar.  Centralhalle,  xxviii,  page  253. 
Bromo-iodinized  butter,  recommended  by  Trousseaux,  is  made  as 
follows  :  R  Potassii  iodidi,  0*06  ;  potassii  bromidi,  0*25  ■  sodii  chlo- 
ridi,  2*0  ;  butyri  recentis,  125*0.  The  mixture  is  spread  on  bread, 
like  ordinary  butter. — Ph.  Centralhalle,  xxviii,  page  368. 
ABSTRACTS  FROM  THE  FRENCH  JOURNALS. 
Translated  for  the  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy. 
Casein  as  an  Emulsifiee,  is  proposed  by  M.  Leger  in  L'  Union 
Pharm.  May  1 5,  on  account  of  its  permanence  and  the  ease  with  which 
it  may  be  handled.  To  separate  it,  he  treats  4  litres  of  milk  with  60 
gm.  ammonia  for  24  hours  and,  after  removing  the  saponaceous  matter 
from  the  surface  of  the  mixture,  precipitates  the  serum  with  acetic 
acid.  The  magma  of  casein,  strongly  pressed,  is  treated  with  sodium 
bi-carbonate,  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  sugar  to  make  the  dried 
product  contain  one-tenth  of  its  weight  of  casein.  The  powdered  sub- 
stance dissolves  easily  in  water  and,  mixed  with  its  weight  of  gum,  may 
