312 
GLEANINGS  FROM  FOREIGN  JOURNALS. 
suspension  of  respiration,  of  general  sensibility,  of  reflex  sen- 
sibility, and  of  voluntary  movements. 
Aconitia  disturbs  the  functions  of  the  heart  by  acting  on  its 
nervous  tissues. 
The  effects  of  aconitia  on  man  are  the  following  :  Irritation 
of  the  mucous  membranes,  salivation,  nausea,  muscular  weak- 
ness, prickling,  sweats,  heaviness  of  the  head,  pain  in  the  track 
of  the  facial  nerves,  dilatations  of  the  pupils,  slow  respiration, 
depression  of  the  pulse  and  weakness  of  sensibility. 
Aconitia  is  a  powerful  sedative  :  in  external  forms  it  has 
been  applied  with  success  in  calming  neuralgic  and  rheumatic 
pain  ;  internally  it  may  be  given  from  T|otn  to  22^  of  a  grain 
the  maximum  dose. 
In  conclusion  M.  Hottot  cautions  physicians  and  pharmaceut- 
ists in  relation  to  the  variable  nature  or  power  of  commercial 
aconitia  as  made  by  different  processes. — Journal  de  Pharmacie, 
Avril,  1864—30. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  FOREIGN  JOURNALS- 
Dentifrice  powder.  Take  of  cream  of  tartar  100  grammes, 
Kaolin  100  grammes,  Tannin  2  grammes,  Sugar  50  grammes, 
Orris  Powder  25  grammes,  Essence  of  Mint  15  drops. 
Trituate  separately  each  of  these  substances,  mix  afterwards 
with  care  to  form  a  homogeneous  powder,  and  lastly  aromatize 
with  the  essence  of  mint. 
Effervescing  Powders.  C.  Bedall  proposes  preparing  a  mix- 
ture of  tartaric  acid  and  bicarbonate  of  soda,  in  granular  form, 
and  permanent  in  the  air;  by  mixing  well  dried  tartaric  acid 
and  bicarbonate  of  soda,  in  the  proportion  of  5  to  6,  with  sufficient 
strong  alcohol  to  reduce  it  to  a  moist  condition,  pass  it  then 
through  a  somewhat  coarse  sieve  and  thoroughly  drying  it.  If 
desired  it  may  be  flavored  by  a  little  oil  of  lemon  dissolved  in  the 
alcohol.  A  mixture  thus  prepared  effervesces  upon  the  ad- 
dition of  water,  to  the  last  crumb. — N.  Jahrb.  Ph.  xx.  75. 
Sweet  Spirits  Nitre.  According  to  Fieldhans  the  conversion 
of  the  nitrates  of  alkalies  into  nitrites  is  best  effected  by  melting 
