AmAp°rn;S3arm'}  Abstracts  from  the  French  Journals.  173 
an  excess  of  bromine.  In  contact  with  this  solution,  the  acid  S204 
becomes  oxidized  according  to  the  equation  : 
S204  +  2Br  -f  2H202  ==  S208H2  +  2HBr. 
Then  the  mixture  is  passed  over  a  saturated  aqueous  solution  of 
HBr,  to  which  amorphous  phosphorus  has  been  added,  when  it 
loses  all  the  bromine  and  is  perfectly  pure.  The  gas  is  dissolved  in 
a  distilled  aqueous  solution  of  HBr.  The  acid  is  nearly  colorless 
and  contains  no  trace  of  S2OsH2. 
The  second  mode  of  preparation  of  gaseous  HBr,  is  by  the  action 
S204  on  Br,  in  presence  of  a  saturated  solution  of  HBr.  The  S204  is 
passed  into  a  mixture  of  equal  volumes  of  Br  and  saturated  solution 
of  HBr,  when  an  abundant  and  regular  disengagement  of  HBr  will 
be  obtained,  which  can  be  freed  of  Br  and  the  small  quantity  of 
S204,  by  passing  over  the  purifying  solutions  previously  mentioned. 
S2OgH2  forms  at  the  same  time  with  HBr,  and  if  in  sufficient  quan- 
tity the  liquid  will  separate  into  two  layers. 
Solubility  of  salicylic  acid. — The  employment  of  salicylic  acid  to 
obviate  the  inconveniences  and  accidents  in  surgery  and  obstetrics 
due  to  the  use  of  mercuric  chloride,  is  unsatisfactory  because  of  its 
sparing  solubility.  Carcano  and  Cesaris  (Boll,  farm.,  through  Jour. 
4e  Pharm.  d'Anvers,  Feb.,  1893,  P-  55)  propose  to  associate  boric 
acid  with  salicylic  acid,  in  the  following  proportion:  boric  acid,  12 
p.;  salicylic  acid,  6  p.,  and  water,  1,000  p.  This  borosalicylic  solu- 
tion has  the  double  advantage  of  being  non-poisonous,  and  acting 
as  a  microbicide. 
Pill-coating. — The  following  is  M.  FaueTs  method  :  The  pills  are 
uniformly  moistened  with  a  liquid  composed  of  one  part  of  glycerin 
and  two  parts  of  strong  alcohol ;  they  are  then  rolled  in  a  sufficient 
-quantity  of  impalpable  powder,  composed  of  saccharin,  4  p.;  gum 
tragacanth,  2  p.,  and  potato  starch,  1  p.  Remove  the  excess  of 
powder  by  means  of  a  sieve,  and  repeat  the  operation.  To  have  the 
pills  white,  they  are  then  moistened  with  glycerin,  1  p.;  ether,  2  p., 
and  rolled  in  a  powder  composed  of  equal  parts  of  talc  and  carbonate 
■of  calcium. 
The  following  are  the  author's  formulas  for  respectively  cacao  and 
gelatin  coating:  I.  Cacao,  2  p.;  saccharin,  2  p.,  and  gum  tragacanth, 
I  p.  II.  Gelatin,  1 1  p.;  saccharin,  5  p.;  distilled  water,  24  p. — Pharm m 
Weekblad,  through  Jour,  de  Pharm.  d'Anvers,  Feb.,  1893,  p.  56. 
