Am*Ma"i8Sarm"}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  225 
by  a  number  of  chemical  and  physical  tests. — Arch,  der  Pharm., 
1893,  95-98. 
Medicated  glycerin  suppositories. — Successful  clinical  experiments 
by  Dr.  Kohlstock  in  rectal  applications  of  aloin,  colocynthin  and 
citrullin  (colocynthidin)  suggested  a  combination  of  these  cathartics 
with  the  popular  glycerin  suppositories.  These  are  made  containing 
in  each  suppository  either  0*5  gm.  aloin,  0-03  gm.  colocynthin  or  o-02 
gm.  citrullin  ;  of  these  the  suppositories  containing  aloin  are  used 
in  mild  cases  of  constipation,  those  containing  colocynthin  in  more 
serious  cases,  whilst  those  containing  citrullin  are  recommended  in 
case  of  failure  of  the  others.  Their  action  is  stated  to  be  reliable ; 
prolonged  use  may  require  a  small  increase  in  the  dose  in  order  to 
maintain  effectiveness. — Pharm.  Post,  1893,  104. 
Benzosol  (benzoylguaiacol)  has  recently  been  claimed  a  successful 
remedy  for  diabetes ;  to  ascertain  the  decrease  of  the  sugar  in  the 
urine  the  polariscope  was  used.  The  urine  of  a  person  undergoing 
the  benzosol  treatment  was  found  to  be  laevogyre  and  accordingly  was 
pronounced  free  from  sugar,  but  by  the  use  of  Fehling's  solution 
and  phenylhydrazine  the  urine  was  found  to  contain  about  I  per 
cent,  sugar.  Experiments  made  by  administering  benzosol  to  non- 
diabetic  persons  proved  that  this  remedy  caused  laevogyre  rotation 
of  the  urine  ;  hence,  the  indications  of  the  polariscope  are  to  be 
supplemented  by  other  tests  for  sugar  in  urine. — Dr.  A.  Jolles, 
Pharm.  Post,  1893,  101  and  114. 
The  solubility  of  iodoform  in  alcohol  and  ether,  as  stated  in  the 
various  pharmacopoeias  showing  considerable  discrepancy,  Dr.  G. 
Vulpius  redetermined  these,  finding  that  67  parts  of  an  alcohol  of 
90  5  per  cent,  by  volume  at  170  to  180  C.  dissolved  one  part  iodo- 
form ;  at  the  boiling  point  only  9  parts  of  this  alcohol  were  required  ; 
to  dissolve  one  part  iodoform  5-6  parts  cold  ether  were  needed. — 
Pharm.  Centralhalle,  1893,  117. 
The  volatile  acids  in  butter  are  expeditiously  determined  by  a 
modification  of  Dr.  Kreis'  method ;  to  5  grams  of  the  melted  and 
filtered  butter  placed  in  a  flask  are  added  10  cc.  of  concentrated 
sulphuric  acid.  The  butter  dissolves  at  once  in  the  acid  with  lib- 
eration of  sulphurous  acid.  After  the  solution  becomes  colorless 
and  transparent  150  cc.  water  are  added  and  then  sufficient  perman- 
ganate of  potassium  solution  until  the  red  color  remains  for  a  few 
