238 
MISCELLANY. 
bitter almonds, which, moreover, as is known, is not a constant charac- 
teristic, Huf eland's Journal, from The Chemist, 
Capsules of Copaiba and Rhatany. By Mr. A. J. Cooley. — Ricord 
has recommended capsules of copaiba, coated with extract of rhatany 
as much superior to the common ones of copaiba alone, in the treatment 
of blennorrhea. They may be easily prepared by either of the two fol- 
lowing methods : — 
1. By immersing, for an instant, the common capsules in the follow- 
ing composition ; or, 
2. By forming the bodies of the capsules with the composition, insteacf* 
of with gelatine, and following the same manipulations as for the manu- 
facture of the common gelatine capsules : — 
THE RHATANY COMPOSITION. 
R Ext. rhatan,, newly prepared from the root, 3 parts. 
Syrup of moist sugar, ----- 1 " 
Mucilage of gum Arabic, - - - - 1 " 
Melt the extract and reduce it in a water bath until sufficiently stiff, 
when cold ; do the same with the syrup and gum ; then mix them to- 
gether while hot, but only in such quantity as may be used at one 
time. 
These capsules are said to sit well upon the stomach, the tone of 
which they contribute to improve. ibid. 
Adulteration of Opium. — An Armenian, who had been for many years 
engaged in the extraction of opium, informed M. Landerer, of Athens, 
that one of the adulterations of opium consisted in mixing it,, in the soft 
and fresh state, with grapes well crushed and freed from their stones* 
He assured him that not a single cake of opium comes from the East 
without having undergone this adulteration. 
Another adulteration consists in pounding, in a stone mortar, the epi- 
dermis of the capsules and stalks of poppies with white of egg, and in 
incorporating this mixture, in certain proportions, with opium. 
Ibid. . 
Therapeutical Employment of Vanilla. By Dr. Herschmann. — Dr. 
Herschmann extols this substance as a medicament, and, according to 
him, tbe practitioners of the present age have done wrong in allowing it 
