ii 
Notes  and  News. 
f Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
1    January,  1900. 
Internal  Revenue  Tax. — The  Committee  on  National  Legislation  of  the 
N.  A.  R.  D.  has  prepared  an  address  to  the  members  of  Congress  urging  the  re- 
peal of  the  internal  revenue  tax  on  medicines.  This  was  ready  for  distribu- 
tion previous  to  the  holiday  vacation,  during  which  it  was  expected  every  sena- 
tor and  representative  would  be  importuned  by  his  druggist  constituents  not 
only  to  vote  for  the  measure,  but  to  work  to  secure  its  passage. 
Exports  oe  Cod  Liver  Oil  from  Norway. — Only  once  before — in  1893 
— has  Lofoten  Cod  Liver  Oil  been  cheaper  than  it  is  this  year.  For  this  rea- 
son, and  also  on  account  of  the  fine  quality  of  the  oil  this  season,  the  exports  of 
the  article  from  Norway  to  foreign  markets  have  been  unusually  large. 
Philadelphia  Association  of  Retail  Druggists. — During  the  winter  a 
series  of  social  meetings  will  be  held  by  this  association,  and  the  first  entertain- 
ment, which  will  be  progressive  euchre,  is  announced  for  about  January  23d. 
Every  druggist  in  the  city  is  invited  to  participate.  For  particulars,  address 
the  Secretary  of  the  Entertainment  Committee,  Mr.  C.  H.  Campbell,  Eighteenth 
and  Market  Streets. 
Salophen  is  a  derivative  of  salicylic  acid  which  is  claimed  to  be  de- 
void of  any  irritating  effects  upon  the  stomach,  and  of  the  systemic  effects  upon 
the  heart  and  nervous  system  so  often  associated  with  the  use  of  the  salicylates. 
Passing  unchanged  through  the  stomach,  salophen  is  split  up  in  the  intestinal 
canal,  with  the  liberation  of  salicylic  acid  in  a  nascent  state  and  acetylparaami- 
dophenol.  While  to  the  former  constituent  is  due  the  antirheumatic  effect  of 
salophen,  the  latter  is  responsible  for  its  antipyretic  and  analgesic  effects. 
Acetylparaamidophenol  closely  approximates  phenacetin  in  action.  According 
to  the  investigations  of  Dr.  F.  Goldmann  (Pharmaceutische  Zeitung)  acetyl- 
paraamidophenol in  the  nascent  form  is  an  excellent  remedy  for  reducing  tem- 
perature and  alleviating  pain,  being  perfectly  harmless.  It  is  well  tolerated  by 
animals  and  human  beings  even  in  large  doses.  Owing  to  the  combined  action 
of  these  constituents,  salophen  has  gradually  gained  a  much  wider  field  of 
utility  than  was  originally  anticipated.  Although  at  first  almost  completely 
utilized  in  the  treatment  of  rheumatism,  it  is,  to  a  great  extent,  taking  the  place 
formerly  occupied  by  other  sjmthetic  remedies. 
Solid  Hydrogen. — According  to  the  Comptes  rendus  (729,  434)  H.  Moissan 
has  read  before  the  Academie  des  Sciences  a  short  note  on  solidified  hydrogen, 
by  Professor  Dewar,  giving  further  particulars  of  his  remarkable  experiment. 
The  appearance  of  the  solidified  element  is  likened  to  white  foam  (ecume)  or 
to  a  mass  of  transparent  glass.  It  melts  at  about  160  on  the  absolute  scale, 
which  is  equivalent  to — 2570  C.  Pure  helium  undergoes  a  change  of  state  when 
it  is  cooled  by  means  of  solid  hydrogen  and  subjected  to  a  pressure  of  eight 
atmospheres.  Seeds,  after  they  are  frozen  in  liquid  hydrogen,  retain  the  power 
S  -'of  germinating.  This  communication  is  of  great  scientific  interest,  inasmuch 
as  hydrogen  is  now  known  to  be  non-metallic  in  the  solid  state,  contrary  to  the 
-  conjectures  which  have  been  largely  entertained  hitherto.  Further,  the  ap- 
proach to  the  zero  of  absolute  temperature,  slow  though  it  is,  is  steadily  going 
on.  Two  months  ago  Dewar  arrived  within  210  of  it,  and  now  only  160  separ- 
ate him  from  his  goal.  Will  he  attain  it  ?— Abstract  in  Pharmaceutical  Journal, 
September  16,  1899. 
