752 
Current  Literature. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
October,  1920. 
the  stain  had  been  dropped  on  the  specimen — the  preparation  is 
rinsed  rapidly  with  water  and  dried  with  blotting  paper,  when  it  is 
ready  for  examination  under  the  microscope.  The  water  used  does 
not  have  to  be  distilled  water  but  it  must  be  neutral;  he  prefers  rain 
water  for  the  purpose.  Filtered  water  from  any  source  can  be  used, 
provided  that  it  is  neutral.  He  tests  for  this  by  adding  a  small  amount 
of  pulverized  hematoxylin  to  a  test-tube  containing  loo  Cc.  of  the 
water  and  agitating  gently.  If  the  water  turns  yellow,  this  shows 
acidity,  while  a  deep  violet  tint  indicates  that  it  is  alkaline.  A  light 
violet  tint  indicates  that  the  water  is  neutral  and  suitable  to  use. 
By  adding  a  few  drops  of  a  i  per  cent,  solution  of  sodium  bicarbonate 
to  the  water  and  then  a  little  more  hematoxylin,  comparing  the  tint 
with  a  control  tube,  the  neutral  reaction  can  soon  be  realized.  This 
staining  technic  shows  up  all  the  forms  of  the  Plasmodium  of  malaria 
and  other  parasites  of  the  blood,  and  it  is  excellent  also  for  the  differ- 
ential leukocyte  count.  In  conclusion  he  emphasizes  that  with  this 
simple  and  reliable  technic  any  practitioner  can  examine  blood  speci- 
mens, himself,  without  expensive  equipment  or  relying  on  a  distant 
laboratory.  (From  Porto  Rico  Medical  Assoc.  Bulletin,  San  Juan, 
Mar.  1920,  14,  No.  125;  through  Jour.  Amer.  Med.  Assoc.,  May  i, 
1920.) 
Stable  Vitamin  Product. — Dubin  and  Lewi  prepared  a  stable 
vitamin  product,  designated,  "V."  An  analysis  shows  the  chief 
components  to  be  calcium,  expressed  as  calcium  oxide,  10  per  cent.; 
phosphorus,  15  per  cent.;  nitrogen,  3.5  per  cent.;  fat,  2.5  per  cent.; 
iron,  0.3  per  cent.;  silicates  5.6  per  cent.;  moisture,  10  per  cent. 
The  remainder  goes  to  make  up  the  rest  of  the  phytin  molecule — 
the  main  constituent  of  the  product — which  is  double  calcium  and 
magnesium  compound  of  inosite  phosphoric  acid.  Owing  to  the 
method  of  preparation  and  to  the  results  of  experiments  with  normal 
and  polyneuritic  pigeons,  normal  and  scorbutic  guinea-pigs  and 
finally  with  children  presenting  evidence  of  malnutrition,  marasmus 
and  rickets — a  marked  acceleration  in  the  rate  of  growth  having  been 
obtained,  particularly  in  the  children — it  is  established  that  the 
product  contains  antineuritic,  antiscorbutic  and  antirachitic  vit- 
amins. It  is  felt  by  the  authors  that  until  such  time  as  the  vitamins 
shall  have  been  isolated  and  their  chemical  composition  determined, 
their  vitamin  preparation  is  an  admirable  substitute  and  may  be 
used  with  confidence  in  such  a  manner  as  described  by  Voegtlin. 
