286  Gleanings  from  the  German  fournals.  {Amju°n^i893arm" 
C14H25N02HC1,  C14H25N02HBr  and  C14H25N02HI ;  the  sulphate, 
C^HggNOgHgSC^ -f-  3H20,  owing  to  its  solubility  in  water  was  not 
crystallizable,  but  by  the  addition  of  ether  to  an  alcoholic  solution 
large  colorless  prismatic  crystals  separated  after  a  time.  The  nitrate, 
CuH25N02HN03  -f-  H20,  is  only  soluble  to  the  extent  of  2  per  cent, 
in  water,  but  if  to  a  1  per  cent,  solution  of  the  hydrochlorate  a  few 
drops  nitric  acid  be  added,  a  separation  of  the  nitrate  occurs,  show- 
ing  the  decreased  solubility  of  this  salt  in  hydrochloric  acid.  The 
observations  made  by  Dr.  v.  Oefele  established  that,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  caffeine  group,  carpaine  was  the  only  digitalis  substitute 
which  by  subcutaneous  injection  did  not  cause  local  irritation  or 
abscesses,  while  internal  doses  of  0*025  gram  per  day  did  not  show 
any  advantage  over  digitalis.  The  hypodermic  use  of  o#oo6-ooio 
gram  daily  or  on  alternating  days  is  recommended ;  the  effect  of  the 
hypodermic  injection  is  noticeable  in  the  course  of  a  few  minutes. — 
Arch,  der  Pharm.,  1893,  184-211. 
Formalin  is  a  40  per  cent,  aqueous  solution  of  formaldehyde ;  it 
is  a  disinfectant,  can  be  used  either  in  solution  as  a  spray  or  as  a 
vapor  and  resembles  mercuric  chloride  in  being  a  destroyer  of 
bacteria  and  differs  from  it  in  being  non-poisonous.  For  the  permanent 
sterilization  of  bandages  formalith  is  recommended ;  this  constitutes 
a  cartridge  made  of  infusorial  earth,  which  has  the  power  of  absorb- 
ing an  equal  weight  of  formalin  ;  it  is  claimed  that  by  placing 
formalith  in  bottles  or  boxes  containing  the  bandaging  material, 
this  is  perfectly  and  permanently  sterilized.  An  interesting  property 
of  formalin  is  worthy  of  note.  If  placed  upon  animal  skin  it 
changes  the  latter  into  leather,  making  it  non-porous  and  hard. — 
Dr.  J.  Stahl,  Pharm.  Ztg.,  1893,  173. 
Formanilide,  C6H5NH  CHO,  at  a  recent  meeting  of  the  Royal 
Medical  Society,  in  Budapest,  was  praised  by  six  physicians  as  an 
analgetic,  anaesthetic,  antipyretic,  antineuralgic  and  as  a  haemo- 
static combining  therefore  the  properties  of  acetanilide,  antipyrine 
and  cocaine ;  the  anaesthetic  action  of  a  20  per  cent,  solution 
lasted  i-i*4  hours,  but  was  inferior  to  that  obtained  with  cocaine, 
which,  however,  only  lasted  twenty  minutes.  Formanilide  crystal- 
lizes in  long,  four-sided,  flattened  prisms,  melting  at  460  C,  soluble  in 
water  and  especially  in  alcohol. — (Wiener  Med.  Presse),  Pharm.  Ztg., 
1893,  160. 
