2)6  Recent  Literature  Relating  to  Pharmacy.     { A  januairyPSm  * 
Fenuel  .  .  o'i88  (from  Levant  fennel)  to  0*4  (Thuringia  fennel)  normal,  0*3 
Peppermint  0^270  "  0740  "  0*5 
Cinnamon   0710  "  1*370  "  ro 
Comparisons  of  method  of  distillation  show  the  best  results  are 
to  be  expected  in  waters  condensed  in  a  worm  rather  than  in  a 
straight  condenser,  and  from  those  processes  where  the  drug  is 
mixed  with  water  in  the  still  body,  rather  than  subjected  to  live 
steam.  Also,  finely  cut  drugs  yield  a  better  product  than  those 
coarsely  comminuted. 
Waters  prepared  from  oil  and  calcium  carbonate  assayed  : 
Fennel  0.215  to  0-225  grammes  to  liter 
Peppermint    .....  :  o-4i7too*562       "       **  " 
H.  V.  A. 
POISONOUS  CHARACTER  OF  PURE  WATER. 
H.  Koeppe  (Apoth.  Zeit.,  1 898,  713,  from  Deutsche  Med.  Wochensch  ) 
notes  that  distilled  water  is  decidedly  deleterious  to  protoplasm, 
absorbing  from  the  same  saline  constituents  and  swelling  its  tissue, 
even  to  the  extent  of  destroying  the  vitality  of  the  cells. 
Distilled  water  has  a  similar  action  on  the  cells  of  the  stomach, 
producing  in  some  cases  vomiting  and  catarrhal  troubles.  After 
citing  Kohlansch's  standard  of  absolute  purity  of  water — the 
minimum  conductivity  to  an  electric  current — he  shows  by 
this  method  that  many  varieties  of  natural  water  from  melted 
ice — especially  from  glaciers — are  purer  than  ordinary  commercial 
distilled  water  ;  as  is  also  the  water  of  a  spring  at  Gastein,  which  is 
said  to  be  poisonous  and  which  chemical  analysis  finds  absolutely 
free  from  deleterious  matter. 
He  therefore  concludes  that  the  toxic  properties  of  this  water  is 
due  to  its  absolute  purity,  which  also  explains  why  the  sucking  of 
ice  and  the  drinking  of  glacier  water  sometimes  causes  stomach 
derangement.  H.  V.  A. 
IDENTIFICATION  OF  THEOBROMINE. 
M.  Francois  (Jour.  Pharth.  et  Chimie,  1898,  521)  gives  the  follow- 
ing tests  of  identity  and  detection  of  impurities. 
O-IO  gramme  dissolved  in  a  mixture  of  I  c.c.  nitric  acid  and  2  c.c. 
water,  becomes  cloudy  on  addition  of  10  c.c.  solution  of  silver 
nitrate  (10  per  cent.). 
