460 
MANUFACTURE  OF  STARCH,  ETC. 
have  carefully  examined  the  ash  left  by  the  combustion  of  the 
extract,  and  find  myself  in  agreement  with  Bertrand  and  Baume 
in  being  unable  to  discover  a  trace  of  nitrates. 
Vapor  Conice. — The  use  of  the  extract  in  the  formation  of 
the  vapor  is  objectionable,  for  two  reasons  :  first,  the  quantity  of 
'conia  contained  in  the  portion  of  mixture  prescribed,  is  too  small 
to  relieve  spasm  ;  and,  secondly,  any  influence  which  a  minute 
portion  of  the  alkaloid  might  possess,  would  probably  be  more 
than  neutralized  by  the  simultaneous  evolution  of  ammonia  from 
the  alkalized  extract. 
In  the  following  form  these  objections  do  not  exist,  and  the 
dose  of  conia  can  be  readily  graduated  : — ■ 
Conia,  1  grain. 
Alcohol,  1J  fluid  drachm.    Dissolve  the  conia  in  ^ss  of  the 
alcohol,  and  add  the  remainder  mixed  with  the  water. 
Water,  2J-  fluid  drachms. 
20  minims  contain  T^  of  a  grain  of  conia. 
78,  Upper  Berkeley  St.,  W.,  April  21,  1867. 
—London  Pharm.  Journ.,  June,  1867. 
MANUFACTURE  OF  STAtiOH,  UTILIZATION"  OF  THE 
WASTE. 
More  than  100  tons  of  wheat  are  annually  employed  in  the 
fabrication  of  starch  in  France.  M.  L.  Maiche,  of  Paris,  now 
proposes  to  utilize  the  waste  as  an  aliment. 
The  best  wheat  only  contains  55  per  cent,  of  starch,  while 
rice  of  the  most  ordinary  description  contains  85  per  cent.  ;  maize 
and  buck-wheat  also  contain  a  considerable  proportion.  The 
difficulty  consists  in  the  separation  of  foreign  matters,  such  as 
bran,  cellulose,  gluten,  &c,  contained  in  the  pulp  of  the  grains. 
Having  isolated  small  quantities  of  cellular  tissue  and  other  sub- 
stances, the  author  found  that  the  specific  gravity  of  these  bodies 
was  much  less  than  that  of  starch. 
If  raw  starch  is  placed  in  water,  a  small  quantity  of  almost 
pure  starch  is  deposited,  but  the  bulk  only  falls  mixed  with  the 
different  substances  above  mentioned  ;  these,  although  specifically 
lighter,  are  relatively  more  heavy,  being  much  larger  than  the 
