68  Gleanings  from  the  Foreign  Journals.  \km'^X^' 
placing  it  in  the  pocket  of  his  overcoat,  when  the  vial  exploded,  to  the 
injury  of  his  clothing  and  to  his  great  alarm.  The  contents  of  the 
bottle  being  thus  lost,  the  druggist  re-compounded  the  prescription,  cau- 
tioning the  bearer  not  to  shake  it.  After  his  recent  experience  the  mes- 
senger carried  it  very  cautiously  to  the  patient,  who,  on  removing  the 
wrapper,  was  met  by  an  explosion  that  drove  the  vial  cork  violently 
against  the  eyeball,  and  scattered  the  fumes  and  acid  over  her  face. 
Prompt  surgical  assistance  fortunately  saved  the  eyesight  of  the  patient^ 
but  only  after  several  days' suffering  and  anxiety. 
We  are  not  informed  whether  the  druggist  dispensed,  as  he  should 
have  done,  nitro-muriatic  acid — previously  mixed — after  re-action  had 
taken  place,  or  whether  he  mixed  the  acids  and  bottled  them  without 
waiting  for  the  re-action  ;  but  we  presume,  from  the  imperfect  history 
given,  that  the  latter  was  the  fact,  and  to  recall  to  others  the  dangers 
of  such  a  course  we  desire  to  record  the  case. 
Wood,  in  his  "  Therapeutics  and  Pharmacology,"  says,  u  care 
should  be  taken  in  opening  the  bottle  to  avoid  exposing  the  face  to  the 
jet  of  gaseous  vapor  which  sometimes  suddenly  escapes,  especially 
when  the  bottle  has  been  kept  in  a  warm  place,  and  which  may  en- 
danger the  eyes  if  not  guarded,"1  and  we  regard  the  physician,  who 
directs  the  administration  of  such  a  remedy  as  derelict  to  his  duty 
when  he  does  not  duly  caution  his  patient  against  such  an  accident. 
X.  Y.  Z. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  FOREIGN  JOURNALS. 
By  the  Editor. 
The  Turpentine  Oils.— Dr.  GodefFroy  gives  the  following  char- 
acteristics of  the  various  oils  of  turpentine  met  with  in  the  European 
market : 
Austrian  oil  of  turpentine,  from  Pinus  austriaca,  transparent,  colorless 
or  slightly  yellowish,  sp.  grav.  "864  ;  boiling  point,  155 — I57°C. ;  turns 
polarized  light  to  the  left. 
German  oil  of  turpentine,  from  Pinus  sylvestris,  P.  abies,  P.  vulgaris,, 
P.  picea  and  P.  rotundata,  resembles  the  former  ;  sp.  grav.  *86 — "87  •> 
boiling  point,  155 — i6o°C.  ;  laevogyre. 
French  oil  of  turpentine,  from  the  turpentine  of  Pinus  maritima,  color- 
Wood  Therapeutics,  vol.  i  p.  381,  1856. 
