t 
Am.  Jour.  Pbarm. 
Nov.,  1887. 
}    Pharmaceutical  Notes  on  New  Compounds. 
567 
alc3hol,  of  the  specific  gravity  1*032  at  59°  F.,  the  boiling  point 
being  410°  F. 
Methylal,  dimethyl  ether  of  methylene,  CH2(O.CH3)2. — Methylal  is 
a  soporific  of  very  recent  date.  It  is  administered  in  doses  of  20  to  25 
grains  in  water,  with  a  little  syrup. 
It  has  also  been  applied  externally  as  a  local  ansesthetic  dissolved  in 
oil,  or  as  an  ointment,  with  lard  as  a  base.  Both  forms  are  made  to 
contain  15  per  cent,  of  methylal. 
It  is  a  colorless  ethereal  fluid  which  smells  like  a  mixture  of  chloro- 
form and  acetic  ether,  and  tastes  pungent  and  aromatic;  it  is  readily 
soluble  in  water  as  well  as  in  alcohol;  the  specific  gravity  at  59°  F. 
is  0-855  ;  it  boils  at  107*6° 
Naphtalin.,  C10H8. — To  most  fungi  naphtalin  has  been  found  to  be  a 
powerful  poison,  and  has  proved  very  valuable  as  an  antiseptic,  being 
applied  in  the  same  manner  as  iodoform.  Professor  Rossbach,  of  Jena, 
first  administered  it  internally  in  cases  of  acute  and  chronic  enteric 
catarrh,  in  typhoid  fever  and  acute  gastro-intestinal  catarrh.  It 
has  since  been  extensively  applied,  but  not  with  absolutely  uni- 
form results.  It  is  given  as  a  powder  in  wafer  in  doses  of  2  to  8 
grains,  to  which  a  drop  of  oil  of  bergamot  is  added  to  obliterate 
the  peculiar  smell  of  tar  belonging  to  it,  which  makes  it  otherwise  im- 
possible for  some  patients  to  take  it.  For  example  the  following  for- 
mula may  be  adopted : — 
Naphtalin. 
Sacch.  alb  aa     30  gr. 
01.  bergam   1  gr. 
Make  a  powder  and  divide  into  ten  doses,  one  to  be  taken  three 
times  a  day. 
Naphtalin  is  a  crystalline  body  forming  colorless,  resplendent 
scales ;  it  tastes  pungent,  is  insoluble  in  water,  but  sparingly  soluble 
in  cold  alcohol  and  fatty  oil,  but  readily  if  these  agents  are  healed. 
The  solution  in  oil  and  the  ointments  should  be  made  to  contain  ten 
per  cent,  of  naphtalin,  which  must  be  added  to  the  warm  fatty 
matter.    Melting  point  176°  F.,  boiling  point  424*4°. 
Thus  :— 
Methylal  
Syr.  orange  flower. 
Water  
31- 
One  tablespoonful  for  a  dose. 
