136 
Progress  in  Pharmacy. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pkarm. 
\     March,  1914. 
The  average  adult  dose  of  elarson  is  0.008  gm.  grain),  three  to 
five  times  daily,  best  taken  about  an  hour  after  meals. — /.  Am.  M. 
Assoc.,  1914,  v.  62,  p.  379. 
Emetine  Hydrochloride. — Korns,  John  H.  Emetine  hydro- 
chloride is  the  approved  method  of  treatment  for  amoebic  dysentery 
among  missionary  physicians  in  China.  In  a  recent  report  of  17 
cases,  16  did  well  under  the  emetine  treatment,  the  1  exceptional 
case  had  been  treated  unsuccessfully  with  ipecac  powders  six  months 
previously. — /.  Am.  M.  Assoc.,  1914,  v.  62,  p.  475. 
Ergot,  according  to  Lieb,  owes  its  pharmacologic  action  to  sev- 
eral constituents ;  of  these,  ergotoxine  alone  is  specific.  Beta-imi- 
doazolyethylamin,  parahydroxyphenylethylamin,  and  the  other  sym- 
pathoninetic  amines  are  products  of  the  putrefaction  which  occurs 
during  the  manufacture  of  galenical  preparations.  Each  constituent 
has  a  distinct  pharmacologic  action ;  stimulation  of  the  uterus  is 
characteristic  of  them  all. — /.  Am.  M.  Assoc.,  1914,  v.  62,  p.  486. 
Fucitol. — Votocek  and  Potmesil.  Fucose,  the  sugar  obtained 
from  bladder-wrack,  Fucus  vesiculosus,  when  reduced  with  sodium 
amalgam,  is  converted  into  the  alcohol  fucitol.  This  new  alcohol 
crystallizes  from  ethyl  alcohol  in  silvery  leaflets  which  melt  at  153- 
1540  C.  Rhodeose  and  fucose  are  stereo-isomers,  and  the  corre- 
sponding alcohols,  fucitol  and  rhoditol,  are  respectively  laevo-  and 
dextro-rotary  to  the  same  degree.  By  mixing  the  two  alcohols  in 
equimolecular  proportions  in  hot  alcohol,  racemic  fucitol  is  obtained. 
(Berichte,  1913,  v.  46,  p.  3653.) — Pharm.  J.,  1913,  v.  91,  p.  911. 
Gitonin. — Windhaus  and  Schneckenburger  have  recently  separ- 
ated a  new  digitalis  glucoside  from  Kiliani's  digitonin.  Digitonin 
was  dissolved  in  hot  alcohol,  95  per  cent.  On  setting  aside  the  solu- 
tion for  some  weeks  an  amorphous  deposit  was  formed  containing 
the  new  glucoside.  Gitonin  is  but  sparingly  soluble  in  water,  in 
methyl,  and  in  ethyl  alcohols.  It  is  insoluble  in  acetone  and  in  ether. 
It  becomes  yellow  when  heated  to  255 0  C.  and  decomposes  at  about 
2720  C.  With  sulphuric  acid  it  gives  at  first  a  pink,  then  a  red  color. 
The  exact  formula  of  the  glucoside  has  not  yet  been  determined ; 
provisionally  it  is  given  as  C29H80O2V — Pharm.  J.,  1913,  v.  91,  p.  911. 
Hediorite  is  the  lactone  of  a-glucoheptonic  acid.  It  is  recom- 
mended, to  the  extent  of  30  gms.  per  diem,  for  diabetic  patients. 
It  forms  crystals  melting  at  145 0  to  148 °,  easily  soluble  in  water. — 
Chem.  and  Drug.,  1914,  v.  84,  p.  89. 
Hydroxyphenylethylamin. — The  pharmacologic  investigation 
