68  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {Am-#eZ'iSTm' 
showing  that  no  decomposition  had  taken  place  after  bottling.  The 
H202,  labelled  as  15  volumes,  therefore  contained  less  than  was 
claimed  before  bottling.  This  sample  tested  by  the  permanganate 
method  gave  127  and  12-8  volumes  ;  three  days  later  12-85  volumes. 
The  slightly  higher  results  by  this  method  are  very  probably  due  to 
the  permanganate  not  being  standardized,  the  solution  being  made 
from  commercial  crystals;  but  for  the  use  of  the  pharmacist  the 
method  combines  sufficient  accuracy  with  rapidity,  and  these  are 
the  requirements. 
Another  sample  (1  lb.  bottle)  upon  opening  gave  evidence  of 
slight  pressure,  indicating  very  probably  some  decomposition ; 
assayed  at  once  it  yielded  12-8  volumes;  after  five  days  no  change 
had  taken  place.  The  temperature  of  the  room  in  which  the  solu- 
tions were  kept  was  never  above  200  C.  and  very  frequently  consid- 
erably below  this  temperature,  so  that  as  far  as  the  temperature 
was  concerned  little  alteration  in  the  strength  of  the  samples  was 
to  be  expected.  The  bottles  were  frequently  opened  and  portions  of 
the  peroxide  removed  during  the  time  between  the  various  assays. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  Frank  X.  Moerk,  Ph.G. 
Pulverulent  medicinal  soaps. — Dr.  P.  J.  Eichhoff  recently  recom- 
mended the  use  of  this  class  of  soaps,  because  of  the  ease  with  which 
medicinal  substances  could  be  incorporated.  By  boiling  soda  solu- 
tion and  beef  suet  together  a  neutral  soap  is  produced  which  is 
placed  upon  the  market  as  a  fine,  anhydrous  although  hygroscopic 
powder;  this  forms  the  basis  for  all  of  the  soaps  and  is  called 
neutral  soap-powder  base ;  by  the  addition  of  2  per  cent,  oleic  acid, 
a  nd  3  per  cent,  lanolin,  a  base  is  obtained,  containing  free  or  exces- 
sive fat ;  by  the  addition  of  2-5  per  cent,  each  of  potassium  and 
sodium  carbonates  are  alkaline  soap-powder  base  results.  The 
following  preparations  may  be  incorporated  with  anyone  of  the  three 
bases:  20  per  cent,  pumice  stone  ;  10  per  cent,  sulphur,  balsam  of 
Peru,  chlorinated  lime,  chrysarobin;  5  per  cent,  salicylic  acid, 
/2-naphthol,  camphor,  borax,  pyrogallol,  menthol  salol,  tannin,  thiol, 
naphthalin ;  3  per  cent,  benzoin,  iodoform,  iodol ;  2  per  cent, 
thymol,  iodine,  aristol,  europhen,  quinine  sulphate ;  o-2  per  cent, 
cantharidin.    More  than  one  medicinal  ingredient  may  be  used  as 
