Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  ) 
January,  1920.  ) 
Current  Literature. 
59 
has  not  been  previously  investigated.  The  author  and  Neill  have 
previously  shown  that  sugar,  when  ingested  with  other  foods,  stimu- 
lates the  secretion  of  catalase,  and  hence  increases  the  process  of 
oxidation  in  the  body.  It  is  now  found  that  saccharin  has  a  much 
greater  action  in  this  direction  than  sugar.  In  this  respect  saccharin 
is,  therefore,  a  positively  helpful  adjunct  to  the  dietary.  It  is 
specially  valuable  in  a  disease  such  as  diabetes,  where  the  principal 
trouble  is  defective  oxidation.  (W.  E.  Burgo,  Science;  J.  Soc.  Chem. 
Md.,  38:  7,  R,  1919,;  through  The  Pharm.  Jour,  and  Pharmacist, 
October  ii,  1919.) 
Chloropicrin  Vapor  TO  Kii,!.  Bhd  Bugs.— Chloropicrin,  when 
used  in  the  proportion  of  4  to  10  Gms.  to  each  cubic  meter  of  the 
capacity  of  the  chamber  treated,  is  an  excellent  means  for  destroying 
bugs.  The  method  has  been  used  successfully  in  ridding  military 
beds  of  these  insects.  Four  hours  after  vaporizing  a  small,  closed 
chamber  containing  the  beds,  all  the  insects  were  dead.  During  the 
process  of  vaporizing  a  military  gas  mask  is  a  perfect  protection  to 
the  operator.  In  case  eggs  are  not  destroyed  by  the  first  treatment, 
a  second  fumigation  should  be  performed  at  an  interval  of  eight 
days.  (G.  Bertrand,  Brocq. -Rousseau  and  Dassonville,  Compt. 
rend.,  169:  441,  1919;  through  The  Pharm.  Jour,  and  Pharmacist, 
October  11,  1919.) 
Kkros^ne;  as  a  Remedy  if  or  Harvest  Bugs. — Immediate  relief 
is  stated  to  follow  the  application  of  kerosene  to  the  so-called  "bites" 
of  the  harvest  bug,  or  mowers'  mite  (Leptus  autumnalis).  In  Cali- 
fornia, the  mite  is  very  prevalent  among  hay.  The  intense  itching 
caused  by  the  "insects"  burrowing  beneath  the  skin  is  often  suffi- 
cient to  incapacitate  the  victim  from  work.  The  intense  irritation 
causes  loss  of  sleep,  and  lesions  are  produced  by  scratching.  All 
published  remedies  have  proved  useless,  but  the  application  of  kero- 
sene to  the  body  before  commencing  work  in  the  fields,  changing  the 
clothes  when  the  day's  work  is  over,  and  at  once  applying  a  little 
kerosene  to  any  irritating  spots  as  soon  as  observed,  have  given 
excellent  results  in  alleviating  the  discomfort  caused  by  this  familiar 
seasonal  pest.  (Nona  Allen,  /.  Amer.  Med.  Assoc.,  73:  628,  1919; 
through  The  Pharm.  Jour,  and  Pharmacist,  October  11,  19 19.) 
Substitute  for  Cacao  in  Suppository  Basis. —  As  a  substitute 
