Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  ) 
Oct.,  1877.  J 
Laboratory  Notes. 
493 
Java  in  the  roasted  berry,  and  found  not  capable  of  making  a  satisfactory 
"  cup  of  coffee,"  Miss  Johnson  determined  the  soluble  matter,  with 
several  hours  boiling,  to  be  17  per  cent.  Fictitious  berries  could  not 
have  been  present,  as  a  microscopic  examination  was  made.  In  making 
coffee  as  a  beverage,  not  over  10  or  12  per  cent,  of  solids  are  usually 
dissolved.  It  is  desirable  that  the  average  proportion  of  soluble  matter 
should  be  better  established,  as  a  standard  for  analysis. 
XII.  An  Examination  of  Proprietary  Remedies  for  Asthma  and 
Catarrh. 
1.  Kidder's  Asthmatic  and  Fumigating  Pastiles. — In  bars,  two  inches 
long  and  one-fourth  inch  in  diameter.  To  be  ignited  in  a  tin  receiver 
and  the  fumes  inhaled.  A  package  of  twelve  pastiles  is  put  at  the  retail 
price  of  50  cents.  Found  to  contain  :  belladonna  extract  (possibly 
stramonium  or  hyoscyamus),  potassium  nitrate,  charcoal  (in  large  pro- 
portion), gums,  starch,  undetermined  matters  and  aromatics.  Atropia 
(daturia  or  hyoscyamia)  was  identified  by  all  the  general  and  special 
chemical  tests  and  by  the  physiological  test.  The  "  extractive  "  cor- 
responded in  behavior  and  proportion  to  that  of  belladonna  extract. 
2.  Dr.  Perrirfs  Fumigator. — A  moderately  fine  brown,  aromatic 
powder,  with  white  and  black  coarse  particles.  It  contains  potassium 
nitrate,  pine  sawdust  and  aromatics,  The  pine  sawdust  was  clearly 
identified  under  the  microscope. 
3.  Carbolate  of  Iodine  Inhalant. — A  liquid  having  the  color  of  impure 
carbolic  acid  and  the  mingled  odors  of  phenol,  camphor  and  winter- 
green.  It  corrodes  cork,  but  has  a  neutral  reaction.  A  bottle  con- 
taining one  half  fluidounce  is  put  at  50  cents,  retail.  No  other  con- 
stituents were  found  except  the  following  :  Carbolic  acid,  camphor  (of 
each  about  equal  parts),  and  wintergreen  oil.  The  examination  for 
iodine  was  made,  with  negative  results,  as  follows:  1.  Tests  for  free 
iodine  ;  2.  Tests  after  treatment  with  various  proportions  of  chlorine, 
and,  again,  with  various  proportions  of  sodium  sulphite,  tests  after 
fusing  with  potassa,  the  fused  mass  being  dissolved,  acidulated  and 
treated  with  chlorine  \  3.  tests  of  the  solution  from  the  fused  mass  by 
silver  nitrate  solution.  Iodophenol  was  made  and  found  to  respond  to 
the  tests  above  indicated. 
4.  Dr.  Marshall's  Catarrh  Snuff. — A  dark-colored  uniform  powder, 
with  an  odor  of  oil  of  cedar  and  a  taste  of  tobacco  with  aromatics. 
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