Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
June,  1914. 
Amendment  to  Regulation  p. 
285 
centage  of  theobromine  being  48.61,  the  lowest  45.24),  reveal  a 
variation  of  only  about  3  per  cent.,  a  variation  which  is  negligible  in 
the  case  of  such  drugs  as  theobromine. — /.  Am.  M.  Assoc.,  1914, 
vol.  62,  pp.  1 108,  1 109. 
Tobacco  Snuff.  (Anon.) — The  Supreme  Court  of  North  Dakota 
holds  constitutional  the  antisnuff  act  of  that  State  of  1913,  which 
makes  it  unlawful  to  import,  manufacture,  distribute,  or  give  away 
snuff,  or  substitute  therefor,  under  whatever  name  called. — /.  Am. 
M.  Assoc.,  1914,  vol.  62,  p.  1424. 
Tricarbin. — Under  this  name,  or  as  glycarbin,  glyceryl  carbonate 
has  been  introduced  as  a  chemical  inert  diluent  and  basis  for  medici- 
nal substances  and  galenical  preparations  such  as  pills,  powders, 
tablets,  and  cosmetic  preparations.  It  occurs  as  a  crystalline  non- 
hygroscopic,  permanent,  insoluble  powder ;  it  melts  with  decomposi- 
tion at  about  1490  C. — Pharm.  J.,  1914,  vol.  92,  p.  286. 
Vitamines.  (Anon.) — Vitamine  is  the  name  given  to  a  substance 
which  is  believed  to  be  necessary  to  prevent  the  nervous  lesions 
characteristic  of  beriberi.  It  is  regarded  as  an  antineuritic  agent 
naturally  present  in  rice,  the  removal  of  which  by  polishing  causes 
the  symptoms  of  the  disease  to  appear.  The  name  appears  to  be  de- 
rived from  vita  (life  and  amine),  indicating  its  chemical  character. 
The  substance  was  at  first  thought  to  be  a  pyrimidine  base  with  the 
following  formula  :  C17H20O7N2.  It  was  at  first  believed  to  have  the 
constitution  of  a  ureide,  but  in  his  latest  work  Funk  states  that  the 
nitrogen  is  not  present  in  the  amino  form.  Vitamine  was  first  found 
in  rice  and  was  connected  with  beriberi.  Other  substances  of  similar 
character  were  subsequently  discovered,  and  the  name  has  become 
descriptive  of  a  class.  Vitamine  was  discovered  in  191 2  by  Casimir 
Funk. — /.  Am.  M.  Assoc.,  19 14,  vol.  62,  p.  1349. 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
Amendment  to  Regulation  9,  Relating  to  Guaranties  by  Wholesalers, 
Jobbers,  Manufacturers,  and  Other  Parties  Residing  in  the 
United  States  to  Protect  Dealers  from  Prosecution. 
Regulation  9  of  the  Rules  and  Regulations  for  the  enforcement  of 
the  Food  and  Drugs  Act,  June  30,  1906  (34  Stat.,  768),  United 
States  Department  of  Agriculture,  is  hereby  amended,  effective  May 
1,  1915,  so  as  to  read  as  follows: 
