Am.  Jour.  Pharm.l 
March,  1884.  J 
Fermentation  of  Cellulose. 
165 
tion,  5*5  grams  of  cotton-wool  yielding  5*8  grams  of  volatile  acids. 
Acetaldehyde  is  also  formed.  Cellulose  undergoes  similar  fermenta- 
tion in  the  first  stomach  of  ruminants  and  in  the  alimentary  canal  of 
herbivora.  When  the  preceding  experiments  are  varied  by  rendering 
the  meat-extract  feebly  alkaline,  by  adding  Nagelr's  solution  (potassium 
phosphate  0*2  gram,  magnesium  sulphate  0*04  gram,  and  calcium 
chloride  0*02  gram),  or  a  solution  containing  in  addition  to  the  above 
salts,  0*35  per  cent,  of  ammonium  acetate,  0*3  acetamide,  or  06  aspa- 
ragin,  the  following  results  were  obtained: 
Acetamide. 
78-14 
13-68 
8-18 
No  difference  could  be  detected  in  the  bacteria  in  the  two  kinds  of 
fermentation.  In  addition  to  aldehyde,  isobutyric  and  acetic  acids,  a 
small  quantity  of  ethyl  alcohol  appears  to  be  formed  by  the  "  hydro- 
gen" fermentation  of  cellulose. 
Alcohol,  aldehyde  and  acetic  acid  are  produced  during  the  fermenta- 
tion of  hay.  The  gases  evolved  contain  C02  51*15,  H  44*58,  CH4  0*9, 
N  4*18  per  cent. — Jour.  Chem.  Soc,  Dec,  1883;  Berichte,  xvi,  1734- 
1740. 
co2. 
SH2. 
0*5  per  cent, 
solution  of 
meat  extract,  Asparagin. 
\  5.5*39  86*47 
H   42-71  5-73 
N   1*90  7-80 
Chloroform  Water. — This  application,  which  is  much  employed  in 
Paris,  is  prepared  as  follows  :  An  excess  of  chloroform  is  poured  into  a  bot- 
tle three  parts  filled  with  distilled  water,  and,  after  repeated  shaking,  the 
mixtuic  is  allowed  to  stand  until  the  extra  chloroform  is  deposited  and  the 
liquid  quite  clear.  The  transparent  portion  is  then  to  be  removed  by  a 
syphon,  forming  a  saturated  solution  of  ten  grams  of  chloroform  per  liter. 
Applied  on  compresses,  either  in  its  pure  state,  or  diluted  with  a  half  or 
its  whole  weight  of  water,  it  is  found  to  relieve  superficial  pains  ;  but  when 
these  are  more  deeply  situated,  a  very  hot  linseed  meal  poultice  is  first 
applied,  which  is  afterward  replaced  by  the  compress  of  chloroform-water. 
Active  revulsion  is  thus  produced,  which  relieves  the  pain.  Associated 
with  a  weak  solution  of  opium,  it  relieves  vague  dental  pain;  and  with 
syrup  of  morphia  it  is  successfully  given  internally  for  various  forms  of 
malaise  from  indigestion,  such  as  gapings,  eructations,  sense  of  weight, 
etc.  It  is  also  useful  as  a  palliative  in  cancer  of  the  stomach. —  Union 
Medicale — Louisv.  Med.  News. 
