482 
Current  Literature. 
{Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
October,  1914. 
of  a  closed  aspiration  system  were  developed.  The  time  for  a  deter- 
mination was  decreased  to  about  one-fourth  and  the  attention  which 
the  apparatus  required  during  the  passage  of  the  sample  through  it 
was  reduced  to  a  minimum. 
(e)  Analyses  of  mixtures  of  very  small  amounts  of  carbon  mon- 
oxide with  air  showed  that  from  88  to  98  per  cent,  of  the  amount 
present  was  recovered  by  the  method.  On  account  of  the  very  small 
actual  amounts  under  consideration,  these  losses  are  considered 
negligible.  ,  , 
(/)  The  results  of  the  analyses  of  88  samples  of  air  from  the  two 
tunnels  show  that  on  an  average  there  is  approximately  five  times  as 
much  of  each  of  the  two  gases  in  the  Fulton  as  in  the  electrified 
tunnel.  In  the  case  of  the  Fulton  Tunnel,  the  highest  amounts  were 
15.1  parts  of  sulphur  dioxide  per  million  and  267  parts  of  carbon 
monoxide  per  million.  The  corresponding  figures  for  the  electrified 
tunnel  were,  respectively,  2.9  parts  and  25  parts. 
(g)  A  review  of  the  available  literature  upon  the  physiological 
effects  of  small  amounts  of  carbon  monoxide  and  sulphur  dioxide 
showed  that  the  concentrations  of  these  gases  which  produced  an 
unmistakable  harmful  effect  upon  man  were  somewhat  greater  than 
the  maximum  amounts  which  were  found  in  any  of  the  tunnel-air 
samples. 
Kieselguhr  Industry. — P.  A.  Borck  in  an  article  {Met all.  and  ' 
Client.  Engin.,  xii,  109). — This  article  treats  of  the  properties  of 
kieselguhr,  its  occurrence  at  Lompoc,  California,  and  other  places, 
and  its  treatment.  Natural  blocks  can  be  obtained  by  sawing  the 
material ;  these  blocks  are  fairly  strong,  have  high  insulating  value, 
stand  heat  and  cold  well,  except  as  to  a  slight  shrinkage,  and  melt  at 
16100  C.  Light-weight  kieselguhr  bricks  are  produced  by  properly 
burning  the  material ;  they  insulate  well  up  to  red-heat,  but  shrink  at 
high  temperatures,  and  must  be  protected  against  sudden  changes 
of  temperature.  They  are  recommended  as  backing  for  more  refrac- 
tory bricks. — Jour.  Franklin  Ins.,  1914,  p.  382. 
Supply  of  Pollantin  Affected  by  War. — Fritzsche  Brothers, 
New  York,  advise  that  their  stock  of  Pollantin  Liquid  (Dunbar's 
serum  in  hay  fever)  is  exhausted ;  and  that,  due  to  the  lamentable  war 
conditions,  they  are  unable  to  replenish  in  time  for  the  current  sea- 
son's demand. 
Also,  that  but  a  very  limited  supply  of  the  Pollantin  Powder  and 
Ointment  is  available. 
