Am,jTa0nUyi89h3arm'}    Abstract s  from  the  French  Journals.  17 
infusion  is  prepared  of  the  leaves  or  root,  50  gm.,  to  water  200  gm.; 
or  a  decoction  of  40  gm.  of  the  fruit.  The  medicine  is  taken  by 
the  wet-nurses  during  the  day  in  tablespoonful  doses. 
Injections  of  pyoktanin. — Drs.  Petterute  and  G.  Mirto  report  (Rif 
med.;  Nouv.  Remedes,  1892,  479)  (1) -that  injections  of  pyoktanin 
(1  :  500)  into  the  pulmonary  cavity  of  phthisical  patients  do  not  give 
rise  to  troubles  but  are  well  tolerated;  (2)  that  these  injections  lower 
the  temperature  in  hectic  fever;  (3)  that  during  this  treatment  the 
bacilli  do  not  appear  in  the  spittle  ;  (4)  that,  should  the  injection 
penetrate  into  the  bronchia  it  will  act  in  a  destructive  manner  on 
the  epithelium  of  the  lining,  the  spittle  containing  flakes  of  mucous 
and  numerous  epithelial  cells  ;  this  accompanied  by  an  irritating 
and  refractory  cough  ;  (5)  that  pyoktanin  blue  or  its  decomposition 
products  irritate  the  renal  epithelia  and  may  cause  an  acute 
nephritis. 
Elimination  of  creasote.-Crea.sote,  in  whatever  form  administered, 
according  to  Dr.  Imbert  {Bull.  gen.  de  Ther.,  Sept.,  1862),  is  chiefly 
eliminated  through  the  kidneys,  the  greatest  part  being  found  in  the 
urine  during  the  first  twelve  hours,  while  the  quantity  expectorated 
is  insignificant. 
Asdolin,  a  preparation  obtained  by  Braconnot  from  the  aqueous 
infusion  of  soot,  and  which  has  been  used  to  some  extent  as  a 
remedial  agent  in  phthisis,  has  been  examined  by  Behal  and 
Desvignes  {Compt.  rend.,  cxiv,  1 541)  and  found  to  be  a  mixture  of 
pyrocatechin  and  homopyrocatechin.  The  former  melts  at  1040  and 
boils  at  2400  C,  and  the  latter  at  510  and  25 1°  C,  respectively. 
This  is  identical  with  the  homopyrocatechin  from  creosol,  which 
was  formerly  known  only  as  a  syrupy  liquid,  but  was  prepared  by 
the  authors  in  the  solid  state. 
Crude  petroleum  has  been  used  by  Ur.  Larcher  in  diphtheritis  in 
the  form  of  gargle  and  of  protective  covering  (badigeonnage).  The 
author's  conclusions  are  that  crude  petroleum  is  a  good  agent  and 
frequently  successful  in  the  disease,  and  that  its  use  causes  no  incon- 
venience. With  42  patients  the  treatment  varied  from  8  to  18 
days,  and  no  cases  of  contagion  were  observed. 
Sparteine,  heated  to  about  1800  C.  in  a  sealed  tube  with  excess  of  silver 
oxide  and  water,  according  to  A.  Peratoner,  is  decomposed  into  carbonic  acid 
and  pyridine. — Gazz.  chim.,  XXII. 
