758 
Current  Literature. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharra. 
October,  1920. 
laminated  with  small  amounts  of  compounds  chlorinated  in  the 
ring,  the  presence  of  which  is  most  objectionable  from  the  physio- 
logical point  of  view  when  benzoic  acid  is  used  in  food  products. 
While  it  is  very  difficult  to  remove  these  compounds  by  the  ordi- 
nary methods  of  purification,  benzoic  acid  practically  free  from 
chloro-derivatives  was  obtained  in  the  Bureau  of  Chemistry  by  the 
use  of  a  special  apparatus.  This  apparatus  consisted  of  a  vessel 
in  which  the  crude  benzoic  acid  was  placed.  The  vessel  was  im- 
mersed in  an  oil  bath  kept  at  a  definite  temperature.  A  blast  of  hot 
air  was  passed  into  the  crude  benzoic  acid  and  the  vapors  coming 
off  were  conducted  through  a  series  of  chambers,  maintained  at 
different  temperatures.  The  least  volatile  chloro-derivatives  sepa- 
rated out  in  the  hotter  chambers,  whereas  the  more  volatile  benzoic 
acid  collected  in  the  colder  chambers.  (Max  Phillips  and  H.  D. 
Gibbs,  /.  Ind.  Eng.  Chem.,  12:  277  (1910);  through  Jour.  Franklin 
Institute,  May,  1920.) 
Origin  of  Pepsin. — Pavlovsky  reports  research  which  has  ap- 
parently demonstrated  the  important  share  of  the  spleen  in  the  for- 
mation of  the  gastric  ferments,  and  that  injections  of  spleen 
extract  increase  the  quantity  and  improve  the  quality  of  the  secretion 
in  the  stomach.  Injections  of  fresh  leukocytes  and  red  corpuscles 
from  the  horse  acted  in  the  same  way.  All  confirm  the  role  of  the 
spleen  in  normal  digestion  as  well  as  in  blood  production,  and  sus- 
tain the  principle  that  the  secretion  of  an  organ  is  perhaps  the  best 
stimulant  to  promote  its  secretory  function.  He  gives  the  details 
of  series  of  tests  on  dogs  with  a  Pawlow  gastric  pouch,  given  an  intra- 
muscular injection  of  25  Cc.  of  a  25  per  cent,  decoction  of  spleen 
tissue,  the  blood  count  recorded  over  long  periods,  and  the  units  of 
gastric  digestion.  (From  Semana  Medica,  Buenos  Aires,  Mar.  18, 
1920,  No.  12;  through  Jour.  Amer.  Med.  Assoc.,  Aug.  21,  1920.) 
NEWS  ITEMS  AND  PERSONAL  NOTES. 
A.  D.  M.  A.  Resolutions  on  the  Decease  of  Richard  C. 
Stofer. — In  testimony  of  the  high  regard  it  entertained  for  its 
late  President,  Mr.  Richard  C.  Stofer,  the  American  Drug  Manu- 
facturers' Association  recently  adopted  the  following  resolution 
on  his  death: 
"Resolved,  That  it  is  with  profound  sorrow  that  the  American 
Drug  Manufacturers'  Association  learns  of  the  demise  of  its  beloved 
