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Advances  in  Pharmacy. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
June,  19 17. 
are  benzoic,  salicylic,  benzo-sulphonic  acid,  and  various  hydro-aro- 
matic acids.  Solution  of  these  substances  will  dissolve  or  increase 
the  solubility  of  carbohydrates,  alcohols,  aldehydes,  proteins,  alka- 
loids, fats,  and  lipoids,  and  quite  a  number  of  other  substances. 
This  ought  to  open  up  an  interesting  field  of  experimentation  among 
pharmacists  for  making  solutions  for  hitherto  insoluble  drugs.  As 
an  example  we  might  mention  mercury  salicylate.  This  drug  is  very 
popular  among  physicians,  who  are.  because  of  its  insoluble  nature, 
compelled  to  give  it  in  an  oily  suspension  (Biochem.  Zeit.}  J.  Chan. 
Soc,  no,  2,  555). 
Relative  Toxicity  of  Stovaixe  axd  Xovocaixe. — According 
to  Hatcher  and  Smith,  who  have  given  considerable  attention  to  the 
study  of  these  two  drugs,  stovaine  is  slightly  more  toxic  than  novo- 
caine  when  administered  in  like  manner.  Recovery  from  toxic  doses 
of  stovaine  is  not  so  prompt  as  from  corresponding  doses  of  novo- 
caine.  They  found  no  evidence  to  show  that  stovaine  exerts  any 
direct  action  on  the  blood-vessels  after  the  intravenous  injection  of 
it  in  cats  and  practically  none  of  the  drug  was  excreted  unchanged 
in  the  urine  of  these  animals.  Stovaine,  they  say,  causes  death  by 
bringing  about  immediate  and  simultaneous  paralysis  of  the  heart 
and  respiration,  the  action  of  each  being  independent  of  that  on  the 
other  (Jour,  of  Pharmacology,  1917,  9,  4). 
Estimation  of  Fluorine  in  Soluble  Fluorides. — A  neutral 
solution  of  the  fluoride  is  heated  to  boiling,  and  powdered  calcium 
sulphate  is  added ;  after  standing  for  one  hour,  with  frequent 
stirring,  the  precipitate,  consisting  of  calcium  sulphate  and  calcium 
fluoride,  is  washed  several  times  by  decantation  and  collected  on  a 
filter.  The  latter  consists  of  a  disc  of  filter  paper  fitted  into  the 
bottom  of  a  perforated  platinum  crucible.  The  precipitate  is  now 
washed  (the  wash  water  .used  should  be  saturated  previously  with 
calcium  sulphate  and  calcium  fluoride)  ,  then  rinsed  into  an  ordinary 
platinum  crucible,  and  the  water  evaporated  ;  the  disc  of  filter  paper 
is,  meanwhile,  ignited  on  the  crucible  lid  and  the  ash  introduced 
into  the  crucible.  The  dry  contents  of  the  crucible  are  then  heated 
at  3000  C.  for  one  hour,  or  until  constant  in  weight,  then  sulphated, 
again  heated  at  3000  C,  and  weighed.  The  increase  in  weight  after 
sulphating  is  due  to  the  replacement  of  two  atoms  of  fluorine  by  the 
sulphuric  acid  radicle,  and  a  simple  calculation  gives  the  quantity  of 
fluorine  present.  The  error  of  the  method  is  about  0.1  per  cent. 
(Amer.  Jour.  ScL,  1916,  42,  464-468,  through  The  Anayht,  March. 
I9I7,  P-  93)- 
