Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  j 
November,  19 17. 
Current  Literature. 
547 
Much  more  of  interest  was  shown,  but  the  underlying  element 
of  value  was  the  demonstration  of  the  rapid  strides  that  the  Amer- 
ican chemical  industry  is  now  making. 
CURRENT  LITERATURE. 
Scientific  and  Technical  Abstracts. 
A  New  Process  for  Carrel-Dakin  Solution. — Dr.  Alexis 
Carrel,  in  conjunction  with  Dr.  H.  D.  Dakin,  has  evolved  a  com- 
paratively new  and  revolutionary  method  for  treating  infected 
wounds,  using  a  definite  hypochlorite  solution.  The  method  for 
the  preparation  of  this  so-called  Dakin  Solution  was  worked  out  by 
G.  Ornstein  for  the  Electro-Bleaching  Gas  Co.  The  method  con- 
sists in  enclosing  liquid  chlorine  in  quantities  of  exactly  5  Gm.  in 
glass  tubes,  sealed  at  one  end,  of  8  to  9  Mm.  outside  diameter  and 
8  to  9  in.  long  and  then  sealing  the  other  end  of  the  tube  by  drawing 
it  out  to  a  point.  All  of  these  tubes  before  they  are  allowed  to  go 
out  of  the  laboratory  are  tested  under  increased  pressure  by  heating 
them  to  a  temperature  of  75 0  C,  which  raises  the  pressure  of  the 
liquid  chlorine  from  a  pressure  at  ordinary  temperatures  of  80  to  90 
lbs.  to  over  350  lbs.  per  sq.  in.  The  glass  tubes  will  stand  this  im- 
mense pressure  although  their  walls  are  only  y2  to  }i  Mm.  thick. 
The  method  of  breaking  the  ampoule  with  liquid  chlorine  in  the 
alkali  solution  has  been  recently  improved  by  a  simple  device.  The 
glass  bottle  in  which  the  solution  is  prepared  is  now  closed  by  a 
rubber  stopper,  to  the  bottom  of  which  is  fastened  a  short  piece  of 
rubber  tubing  by  means  of  a  short  piece  of  glass  rod.  The  ampoule 
is  fastened  with  its  butt  in  the  open  end  of  the  rubber  tubing  so 
that  the  pointed  end  points  downward,  and  the  ampoule  is  suspended 
pendulum-like  in  the  bottle  containing  the  alkali  solution.  The  Elec- 
tro-Bleaching Gas  Co.  has  recently  completed  arrangements  with  the 
pharmaceutical  firm  of  Johnson  &  Johnson,  New  Brunswick,  N.  J., 
for  the  marketing  of  this  new  development  in  the  liquid  chlorine  field. 
—  (From  The  Journal  of  Industrial  and  Engineering  Chemistry.) 
Aconite  Root  Substitute. — Examination  of  samples  of  aconite 
obtained  in  import  and  interstate  trade  has  disclosed  that  aconites  not 
recognized  in  the  United  States  Pharmacopoeia,  especially  "  Japanese 
