74  Abstracts  from  the  French  Journals.  {AmFTe°b.?i89h3arm' 
and  finger-nails,  and  it  has  been  attempted  to  obtain  a  lighter  and 
whiter  oil,  by  rectifying  the  brown  oil  in  a  current  of  steam  ;  but  it 
is  questionable  whether  this  lighter  oil  is  as  valuable  therapeutically. 
There  exists,  also,  an  oil  known  in  French  commerce,  as  Pennsylva- 
nia oil  of  birch,  which  consists  largely  of  methylsalicylic  ether. — F. 
Vigier,  in  Joum.  de  Pharm.  et  de  Chim.,  Oct.,  1892. 
This  latter  oil  is  not  obtained  from  Betula  alba,  but  is  prepared 
by  distilling  the  branches  of  Betula  lenta  or  sweet  birch,  with  water. — 
(Translator). 
Emulsion  of  coal  tar  oil  as  a  substitute  for  ere sy I. — The  high  price 
of  cresyl  induced  M.  Delahousse  (Jour,  de  Pharm.  et  de  Chim.,  Nov., 
1892)  to  replace  this  by  an  emulsion  of  heavy  coal  tar  oil  (huile 
lourde  de  houille)  obtained  by  the  following  formula  :  coal-tar  oil, 
(density  1-05),  50;  pulverized  colophony,  10;  soda  lye  (sp.  gr. 
1.33).  6;  green  soap.  10.  A  syrupy  liquid  results  having  the 
odor  of  cresyl,  and  acting  like  it  in  the  presence  of  water.  This 
preparation  contains  about  740  gm.  of  coal-tar  oil  per  litre,  and  is 
equal  to  cresyl  in  antiseptic- and  deodorizing  properties. 
Sodium  paracresotate  in  infantile  diarrhoea. — According  to 
Demme  and  Loesch  {Rev.  gen.  de  Clin,  et  de  Thcr.,  1892)  sodium 
paracresotate  acts  as  an  internal  antiseptic,  disinfecting  the  stools 
and  diminishing  their  frequency.  The  maximum  doses  are  the  fol- 
lowing :  under  two  years  of  age,  50  cgm.  per  day ;  to  four  years,  I 
gm.;  to  ten  years,  3  gm.  It  should  be  prescribed  in  small  doses 
and  gradually  increased. 
Demme's  formula  for  the  treatment  of  diarrhoea  in  infants  is 
the  following:  Paracresotate  of  sodium,  o-io  gm.;  tincture  of 
opium,  2  drops  ;  brandy,  1  gm.;  syrup  of  acacia,  5  gm.;  distilled 
water,  25  gm. 
The  simple  tincture  of  opium  might  advantageously  be  replaced 
by  paregoric. 
Phenacetine,  according  to  Hinsberg  {Bollet.  chim.  farm.,  1892, 
72),  when  finely  pulverized  and  heated  to  ebullition  with  nitric 
acid  (1  :  10)  shows  an  orange-yellow  color,  by  which  it  may  be 
recognized,  since  antipyrine  and  antifebrine,  treated  in  the  same 
manner  give  no  reaction. — Rev.  inter,  de  Bibliog.  m'ed.,  Dec,  1892, 
398. 
Butylhypnal. — Bernin  has  combined  butylchloral  with  antipyrine 
which  results  in  a  compound  analogous  to  hypnal  or  chloral  antipy- 
