152 
Practical  Notes. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
1     March,  1885. 
Excretion  of  Kairine. — Petri  and  Lehmann  ascertained  that  kairine 
or  hydrochlorate  of  oxyquinolinethyl  hydride  is  found  in  the  urine  as 
an  ethersulpho  acid  which  is  not  destroyed  during  the  ammoniacal  fer- 
mentation of  the  urine,  but  is  slowly  decomposed  by  long-continued 
boiling  with  hydrochloric  acid.  Its  solution  slightly  acidulated  with 
acetic  acid  acquires  with  a  solution  of  chlorinated  lime  a  beautiful 
fuchsin  red  color,  which  begins  to  fade  after  about  30  minutes. — Cen- 
tralbl.  Med.  Wiss.,  1884,  p.  305. 
Specific  Gravity  of  Sulphuric  Acid. — D.  Mendelejew  shows  that  the 
specific  gravity  of  sulphuric  acid  (monohydrate)  at  15°C.  compared 
with  water  of  4°C.  and  calculated  for  the  vacuum,  is  1*8371,  or  very 
near  this  figure ;  his  own  determinations  agree  with  those  of  Marig- 
nac,  F.  Kohlrausch  and  others,  while  Lunge's  result,  1*8384,  is  too 
high.— ^6r.  d.  Ch.  Ges.,  1884,  pp.  2536-2541. 
Gallisin  (see  "Am.  Jour.  Phar.,"  1885,  p.  42)  has  been  found  by  C. 
Schmitt  and  Jos.  Rosenhek  in  commercial  starch-sugars  varying  in 
quantity  between  6*82  and  22*49  per  cent.,  the  water  present  amount- 
ing to  from  14*11  to  21*59  per  cent.  By  contact  with  pancreas  galli- 
sin is  converted  into  a  fermentable  sugar  yielding  ethyl-alcohol ;  but 
the  complete  conversion  has  not  yet  been  attained.  The  action  of 
chlorosul phonic  acid,  of  bromine,  and  of  dry  distillation  with  lime, 
has  also  been  studied ;  the  latter  process  yielded  acetic  acid,  acetone 
and  metacetone. — Ber.  d.  Chem.  Ges.,  1884,  pp.  2456-2467. 
Action  of  the  Different  Alkaloids  of  Aconite  on  the  Heart.— 
Dr.  A.  Torselliui  has  recently  made  a  series  of  experiments  on  the  heart  of 
the  frog  and  the  toad  with  the  following  results : 
1.  Nitrate  of  aconitine  caused,  in  the  exsected  heart  a  slight,  in  the  re- 
moved heart  strong  diminution  of  the  cardiac  beat;  and  in  the  latter  also 
a  very  slight  and  transitory  lessening  of  the  systolic  elevation.  In  neither 
was  the  rhythm  irregular. 
2.  Nitrate  of  napelline  causes  irregularity  of  the  rhythm  in  each,  lessens 
the  systolic  elevation,  and  causes  no  slowing  of  the  heart-beats  in  the  ex- 
sected heart,  but  an  increased  contraction  of  the  unremoved  heart. 
3.  Nitrate  of  lycoctonine  slightly  increases  the  beats  of  the  exsected  heart, 
increases  the  systolic  elevation  in  both,  and  does  not  change  the  regularity 
of  the  heart's  action  in  the  least;  on  the  contrary,  it  antagonizes  the 
irregularity  caused  by  najDelline. 
4.  Aconitic  acid  acts  on  the  heart  in  a  decidedly  paralyzing  manner. 
From  these  results  it  is  seen  that  the  different  alkaloids  of  aconite  not 
only  act  differently,  but  that  some  antagonize  others,  as  regards  the  effects 
on  the  heart. — Centralhl.  fiir  die  gesammte  Therap.,  October,  1884 ;  Medical 
News. 
