Amj{0nUe%877arm*}  Gleanings  from  the  Foreign  Journals.  315 
Artificial  cherry-laurel  water,  resembling  in  odor  and  composition 
that  obtained  by  distillation  from  the  leaves,  may  be  prepared,  accord- 
ing to  A.  Ripping  of  Rotterdam,  by  dissolving  6  grams  of  oil  of  cherry- 
laurel  and  4*5  grams  cyanide  of  potassium  in  one  half  liter  of  water,  and 
distilling  over  a  direct  fire  from  a  tubulated  retort,  a  current  of  carbonic 
acid  gas  being  passed  through  it  at  the  same  time.  (The  distillate  is 
afterwards  diluted  with  distilled  water  so  as  to  contain  one-tenth  per 
cent.  HCy.)  Thus  prepared  it  is  free  from  formic  acid,  and  contains 
variable  quantities  of  ammonium  cyanide,  like  the  water  obtained  from 
the  leaves  ;  if  oil  of  bitter  almonds  be  substituted  for  the  cherry-laurel 
oil,  a  preparation  very  different  in  odor  is  obtained. — Archiv  d.  Phar.y 
Dec,  1876,  526-531. 
The  best  emulsion  of  chloroform,  according  to  Jaillard,  is  ob- 
tained by  agitating  it  with  100  times  its  quantity,  or  more,  of  milk, 
which  may  be  sweetened  ;  it  thereby  becomes  very  finely  divided,  and 
remains  permanently  suspended. — DUniver.  Pharm.,  1876,  p.  323. 
Antispasmodic  Potion. — Jeannel  recommends  the  following  for- 
mula, proposed  by  Hermant,  as  a  valuable  substitute  in  such  cases 
where  the  bulk  of  the  officinal  (French)  preparation  is  an  objection  : 
Oil  of  peppermint  1  gram,  80  per  cent,  alcohol  6  grams,  Sydenham's 
laudanum  10  grams,  ether  30  grams.  Ten  drops  of  this  mixture, 
added  to  a  tablespoonful  of  water,  are  stated  to  represent  15  grams  of 
the  former. — Jour,  de  Phar.  d'Jnv.,  1877,  p.  72. 
The  French  u  Codex  "  cantains  a  formula  for  antispasmodic  potion 
and  one  for  opiated  antispasmodic  potion  ;  the  former  is  made  by  mix- 
ing syrup  of  orange  flowers  30  grams,  orange-flower  water  30  grams, 
linden-flower  water  90  grams,  and  ether  2  grams.  The  latter  is  directed 
to  be  made  with  syrup  of  opium  15  grams,  simple  syrup  10  grams, 
orange-flower  water  15  grams,  water  100  grams,  and  ether  1  gram. 
Iodoform  Pencils  have  been  recommended  by  Dr.  Gallard  in  the 
treatment  of  superficial  ulcerations  of  the  neck  of  the  uterus,  by  intro- 
ducing them  to  the  ulcerated  part  and  keeping  them  in  position  by 
means  of  a  plug  of  cotton.  They  are  made  by  intimately  mixing  10 
grams  of  iodoform  with  0*5  grm.  gum  arabic  and  with  mucilage,  form- 
ing a  pill  mass,  which  is  to  be  divided  into  10  cylinders  of  4  centime- 
ters (about  \\  inch)  length,  when  they  are  dried  in  the  air  and  pre- 
served from  contact  with  the  light. —  Union  Med.^  Jan.  7. 
