Current  Literature. 
{Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
April,  1914. 
Another  plan  suggested  to  secure  intestinal  absorption  is  to  in- 
corporate the  medicament  in  a  mixture  of  suet  and  paraffin.  The 
stomach  contains  no  fat  digestant  and  the  mass  will  pass  into  the 
intestines.    The  following  combination  is  suggested  : 
Sodii  Carbonatis  Monohydratis  or 
Potassii  Iodidi  or 
Sodii  Salicylates    90  Gm. 
Sevi    30  Gm. 
Paraffini    16  Gm. 
M.  ft.  mass. 
Melt  all  ingredients  together  on  a  water-bath  and  encapsulate 
in  No.  00  gelatin  capsules. 
To  test  the  efficiency  of  the  method  prepare  test  capsules  of 
methylene  blue  and  oil  of  santol. 
Two  hours  after  administration  the  eructation  following  the 
taking  of  a  carbonated  water  will  indicate  whether  or  not  the  capsule 
has  broken  in  the  stomach.  If  the  capsules  have  been  hardened  too 
greatly  by  the  formaldehyde,  the  fact  will  be  indicated  by  very  slow 
coloring  of  the  urine  by  the  methylene  blue. 
Mr.  Smith,  in  his  Thesis,  advises  the  placing  of  the  filled  cap- 
sules in  a  ten  percent,  solution  of  formaldehyde  during  fifteen 
minutes,  then  washing  them  in  running  water  for  twenty  minutes. 
The  capsules  are  afterward  dried  in  a  dish  in  a  water-bath  for  five 
hours  or  until  free  from  the  odor  of  formaldehyde.  They  have  been 
used,  in  his  experience,  for  the  administration  of  Sodium  Phenosul- 
phonate  and  Zinc  Phenolsulphonate.  (See  Thesis  of  N.  L.  Smith, 
P.  C.  P.,  1912,  vol.  5  ;  also  Ballenger  and  Elder,  in  lour.  A.  M.  A., 
1914,  p.  197.) 
E.  F.  Cook. 
Deterioration  of  Nitroglycerin  Tablets. 
Rippetoe  &  Smith  (Journal  A.  Ph.  A.,  January,  19 14,  96)  report 
the  results  of  several  experiments  which  lead  them  to  conclude  that, 
"  nitroglycerin  will  volatilize  in  the  process  of  making  the  tablets  if 
the  granulation  is  exposed  for  any  length  of  time,  but  after  com- 
pressing the  tablets  and  storing  in  ordinary  corked  bottles  very 
little  deterioration  takes  place. 
"  The  tablets  will  lose  in  strength  if  exposed  in  unstoppered 
bottles,  therefore  containers  that  are  not  air  tight,  such  as  cardboard 
boxes,  should  not  be  used." 
