^Junue?i893arm'}  Abstracts  from  the  French  Journals.  281 
which  precipitates  abundantly  upon  addition  of  an  excess  of  bro- 
mine water. — Jour,  de  Pharm.  d'Anvers,  March,  1893,  p.  81. 
The  methylamines  have  been  examined  chemically  and  physiologi- 
cally by  Dr.  Combemale  (Bull.  gen.  de  therap.,  March,  1893,  p. 
241).  Monomethylamine  is  a  compound  in  which  one  hydrogen 
atom  of  the  ammoniacal  radical  is  replaced  by  one  methyl  radical, 
its  formula  being  (CH3)NH2.  It  is  a  gas,  which  several  degrees 
below  zero  is  converted  into  a  very  mobile  liquid;  it  has  an 
ammoniacal  odor,  is  strongly  alkaline,  ignites,  when  it  comes  in  con- 
tact with  a  flame,  and  burns  with  a  yellowish  color,  giving  water,  car- 
bonic acid  and  nitrogen.  It  is  the  most  soluble  of  all  known  gases,  one 
volume  of  water  dissolving  1,150  volumes  at  12°.  After  citing  a 
large  number  of  physiological  experiments  in  detail,  the  author 
arrives  at  the  conclusion  that  when  injected  under  the  skin, 
monomethylamine  produces  local  irritation,  even  to  necrosis,  while 
its  action  on  the  entire  organism  causes  haemorrhage  of  the  liver, 
lungs,  heart  and  intestines.  This  general  action  is  manifested  by 
change  in  temperature,  continuous  flow  of  saliva  and  albuminuria. 
The  local  effects  are  produced  by  a  solution  of  I  in  250.  For  the 
general  effects  the  dose  must  not  exceed  10  cgm.  per  kgm.  of  body 
weight;  above  15  cgm.  death  is  certain. 
Dimethylaminey  (CH3)2NH,  has  much  the  same  properties  as 
monomethylamine.  It  is  obtained  pure  and  without  difficulty  by 
boiling  nitrosodimethylamine  with  sodium  oxide.  Ingested  into 
the  stomach  and  employed  in  various  doses,  dimethylamine  showed 
no  appreciable  action.  Injected  hypodermically  it  acts  as  an  ener- 
getic caustic,  producing  an  eschar  with  a  solution  of  1  in  200. 
Twenty  cgm.  per  kgm  of  body  weight  is  the  minimum  toxic  dose. 
The  change  of  temperature  produced  is  not  constant,  nor  is  it  pro- 
portionate to  the  dose  or  the  strength  of  the  solution  employed. 
It  produces  increased  salivation  and  also  increases  the  alkalinity  of 
the  saliva.    It  is  eliminated  in  part  by  the  kidneys. 
Glycerite  of  oil  of  cade. — Ch.  E.  Quinquaud  (L  Union  phar.,  1893, 
p.  190)  commences  the  treatment  of  psoriasis  by  applying  the  fol- 
lowing plaster  to  the  diseased  surfaces :  Lead  plaster,  600  gm.; 
yellow  wax,  300  gm.;  poppy  seed  oil,  600  gm.  The  scales  should 
be  removed,  and  a  lukewarm  alkaline  bath  given  for  half  an  hour, 
using  not  more  than  100  gm.  of  carbonate  of  sodium  for  the  bath. 
Upon  leaving  the  bath  the  diseased  parts  should  be  anointed  with 
