Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
June,  19 18. 
Advances  in  Pharmacy. 
431 
analysis  of  a  certain  number  of  the  sources  of  the  water.  Such  a 
procedure  establishes  the  normal  chloride  content  of  the  basin,  so 
that  any  variation  from  this  attracts  attention  at  once.  In  one  val- 
ley into  which  the  troops  came  he  rapidly  determined  that  the 
standard  for  the  pure  water  in  the  valley  was  15  mg.  sodium  chlo- 
ride; 0.5  mg.  oxygen  consumed  by  organic  matters;  the  hydro- 
timetric  degree,  31.  On  examination  of  eleven  springs  in  this  val- 
ley, nine  showed  this  standard ;  one  showed  20  mg.  sodium  chloride, 
undoubtedly  a  suggestion  of  contamination,  and  one  showed  12  mg. 
with  hydrotimetric  degree  of  27,  this  plainly  suggesting  flushing 
with  insufficiently  filtered  rain  water.  Naturally  these  springs  were 
not  allowed  to  be  used,  and  the  bacteriologic  findings  showed  at 
least  1,000  colon  bacilli  in  each  of  these  two  springs,  while  in  the 
others  they  ranged  from  zero  to  20,  and  only  in  three  reached  the 
number  of  100.  {Bulletin  de  VAcademie  de  Medecine,  Paris, 
March  5,  1918,  79,  No.  9,  by  L.  C.  Maillard,  through  Jour.  A.  M.  A., 
April  27,  191 8.) 
Alkaloids  of  Ipecacuanha. — J^oemetine,  which  has  hereto- 
fore been  produced  or  isolated  in  the  form  of  the  benzoyl  derivative, 
can  now  be  produced  by  the  reduction  of  methylpsychotrine ;  eme- 
tine is  produced  at  the  same  time  in  conjunction  with  the  stereo- 
isomeride,  as  woemetine  is  also  known.  The  base  and  several  salts 
have  also  been  formed,  i^o emetine  can  also  be  made  by  the  methy- 
lation  of  wocephaeline ;  on  oxidation  it  yields  methylpsychotrine  and 
rubremetine.  Attempts  to  isomerize  it  to  emetine  have  so  far  failed. 
On  complete  methylation  and  degradation  by  Hoffmann's  method  it 
yields  a  methine  which  is  isomeric  with  methylemetinemethine. 
Dr.  H.  H.  Dale  has  found  that  uoemetine  has  about  half  the  toxicity 
of  emetine  when  given  to  rabbits  intravenously,  whereas  on  cats  it 
is  practically  without  any  emetic  effect  whatever.  In  man  it  seems 
to  be  very  well  tolerated,  but  it  does  not  appear  to  have  any  curative 
action  in  amoebic  dysentery.  {Chemist  and  Druggist,  March  16, 
1918,  p.  44.) 
Fats  and  Oils  in  B.  P.  Preparations. — Owing  to  the  scarcity 
of  fats  and  oils  the  General  Medical  Council  has  authorized  certain 
alterations  and  amendments  to  the  British  Pharmacopoeia,  19 14,  for 
conserving  these  world-wide  important  commodities.  The  changes 
were  made  in  response  to  representations  from  the  Food  Controller 
and  the  Home  Office  Committee  on  Drug  Supply.    As  a  result  the 
