174  Abstracts  from  the  French  Journals,  l^Xm.m^ 
Laxative  pills. — A.  F.  Philippeau  gives  the  following  formula  in 
Jour,  de  Pharm.  et  de  Chim.,  Feb.,  1893,  p.  248. 
Cascara  sagrada,  5  cgm.;  extract  of  nux  vomica  and  extract  of 
belladonna,  of  each  1  cgm.;  powdered  ipecac  and  podophyllin  ,  of 
each  I  cgm.    For  one  pill,  to  be  taken  at  night  before  retiring. 
Preparation  of  chlorhydrosulphate  of  quinine. — Dissolve  in  the 
cold  30  parts  crystallized  quinine  sulphate  in  24  cc.  hydrochloric 
acid  (1*050)  and  allow  the  solution  to  evaporate  spontaneously  in 
dry  air.  A  gelatinous  layer  separates  which  rapidly  forms  a  hard 
mass  of  small  agglomerated  needles.  The  salt  is  very  soluble  in 
water,  dries  again  in  dry  air  and  loses  three  molecules  of  water  at 
100°  C. —  Comp.  rend,  de  V Acad.  d.  scien. 
Potassium  iodide  ointment. — Working  by  the  following  process  a 
large  proportion  of  potassium  iodide  can  be  incorporated  with  the 
base.  The  iodide  is  pulverized  and  dissolved  in  a  sufficient  quan- 
tity of  hot  glycerin  (1  gm.  to  about  2-50  gm.  glycerin)  ;  then  mix 
this  solution  with  petrolatum.  The  solution  can  be  preserved  for  a 
long  time  if  kept  in  yellow  glass  bottles. — Bull,  de  la  Soc.  de  Pharm- 
de  Lyon. 
Test  for  iodates  in  alkali  iodides. — Dissolve  2  gm.  of  the  sus- 
pected iodide  in  25  cc.  of  boiled  distilled  water,  shading  it  from  too 
strong  a  light.  Add  a  little  starch,  then  10  cc.  tartaric  acid  solution,, 
when  if  an  iodate  is  present,  a  blue  color  will  be  immediately  formed. 
— Robineau  and  Rollin,  in  Jour,  de  Pharm.  et  de  Chim.,  Dec,  1892. 
Preparation  of  camphor  by  means  of  ozone. — M.  de  Mare  utilizes 
the  oxidizing  properties  of  ozone  or  ozonized  air  for  the  preparation 
of  camphor  from  camphene.  The  camphene  is  distilled,  the  receiver 
heated,  and  on  submitting  it  to  ozonized  air,  the  camphor  begins 
immediately  to  sublime  on  the  sides  of  the  cylinder.  The  camphor 
thus  obtained  is  identical  with  the  high-priced  Japan  article. — 
Lumiere  electrique. 
Preservation  of  medicinal  distilled  waters. — M.  E.  Crouzel  {Bull- 
de  la  Soc.  de  Pharm.  de  Bordeaux,  Jan.,  1893,  p.  17)  considers  the 
principal  causes  of  alteration,  the  use  of  non-sterilized  containers, 
exposure  to  air,  contact  with  organic  material,  and  principally  fil- 
tering through  paper.  To  avoid  this  latter  cause  he  proposes,, 
if  filtering  paper  is  to  be  used,  to  first  pass  a  large  quantity  of  sim- 
ple distilled  water  through  it,  and  then  to  submit  it  to  a  temperature 
