AmNov.^88h7arm'}    Pharmaceutical  Notes  on  New  Compounds.  563 
PHARMACEUTICAL  NOTES  ON  SOME  SYNTHETICAL 
COMPOUNDS  RECENTLY  INTRODUCED  INTO 
MEDICINE.1 
By.  H.  Helbing,  Apotheker  of  the  German  Hospital,  London. 
The  remarkable  increase  in  the  number  of  organic  compounds  con- 
tained in  the  materia  medica,  which  recently  has  been  even  much 
more  rapid  than  formerly,  may  be  taken  as  a  reliable  indication  of 
the  progress  made  by  the  chemistry  of  medicine  in  later  years. 
When  we  remember  that  before  the  commencement  of  this  century 
the  separation  of  active  principles,  like  morphine  or  quinine,  from  the 
raw  drug  was  unknown,  we  cannot  restrain  from  admiration  of  the 
vast  number  of  synthetically  prepared  remedies  which  have  since  been 
introduced,  and  of  which  the  greater  part  is  of  quite  recent  origin. 
In  attempting  to  place  before  you  an  account  of  a  number  of  these 
modern  improvements,  I  have  paid  special  regard  to  the  pharmaceuti- 
cal side  of  the  question  and  have  avoided  lengthy  formulse,  or  the 
minute  details  of  preparation,  as  also  chemical  reactions.  I  have  con- 
fined myself  to  giving  in  alphabetical  order  a  description  of  certain 
antipyretics,  antiseptics  and  soporifics,  together  with  suitable  combina- 
tions and  preparations  of  them.  Details  are  also  given  of  the  nature, 
solubility  and  therapeutic  value  of  these  remedies,  besides  a  few  hints 
which  may  be  found  to  be  of  use  in  dispensing.  I  also  note  the  melt- 
ing and  boiling  point  of  each,  as  these  are  of  great  importance  in  de- 
termining the  purity  of  the  preparation;  indeed  they  supply  the 
chemist  with  ready  means  of  testing  the  article  for  himself  at  once. 
Acetphenetidin,  Paracetphenetidin,  NH(COCH3)C6H4.OC2H/7W^c~^ 
This  antipyretic  has  only  been  in  use  for  a  short  time,  but  the  results 
hitherto  obtained  with  it  are  described  as  excellent.  Hinsberg  and 
Kast  have  shown  that  a  dose  of  3  to  8  grains  is  able  to  reduce  the 
temperature  of  the  human  body  by  3*6°  F.,  and  the  experiments 
carried  out  in  the  clinic  of  Professor  von  Bamberger,  of  Vienna,  have 
only  tended  to  confirm  the  favorable  accounts  of  the  discoverers.  It 
appears  to  be  perfectly  devoid  of  secondary  effects,  and  fully  able  to 
bear  comparison  with  all  other  febrifuges. 
It  is  a  grayish-white  crystalline  powder  without  smell,  producing  a 
slightly  pungent  after-taste ;  it  is  practically  insoluble  in  water,  but  dis- 
solves readily  in  alcohol.   The  melting  point  is  at  275°  F.   It  is  advan- 
1  From  a  paper  read  before  the  British  Pharmaceutical  Conference  ;  reprinted 
from  Pliar.  Jour,  and  Trans.,  Sept.  24, 1887,  pp.  263-265. 
