146  Pharmacological  Notes.  {^itaJS.iw}™' 
with  10  c.c.  alcohol,  the  solution  diluted  with  50  c.c.  water  and 
titrated  with  ^  normal  sulphuric  acid;  hematoxylin  or  cochineal 
being  used  as  indicator. 
For  more  exact  assay,  the  residue  from  50  c.c.  of  the  ethereal 
solution  is  treated  with  10  c.c.  water  and  a  few  drops  solution  of 
soda,  and  distilled  with  steam  until  400  c.c.  distillate  is  obtained. 
This  is  titrated  as  above. 
In  German  tobacco,  cigars  and  cigarettes  advertised  as  free  from 
nicotine,  the  author  found  that  alkaloid  in  quantities  ranging  from 
0-35  per  cent,  to  1-53  per  cent.  H.  V.  A. 
CHILEAN  SOLANUM  SPECIES. 
A  popular  remedy  of  Chile  is  "  Natri,"  being  the  leaves  and  shoots 
of  Solanum  crispun,  Ruiz  et  Pavon ;  S.  gayanum,  Remy,  and  S. 
tomatello,  Remy.  It  is  employed  as  infusion  in  measles  and  scarlet 
fever.  Ramdohr  and  Neger  [Ph.  Centralh.,  1898,  521)  extracted 
from  it  o-i  per  cent,  solanin.  H,  V.  A. 
PHARMACOLOGICAL  NOTES. 
THYROID  EXTRACT. 
Samuel  Bell,  M.D.  {Journal  American  Medical  Association,  No- 
vember 19,  1898),  in  an  interesting  paper  on  "Thyroid  Extract," 
states  that,  according  to  some  very  reliable  authorities,  two  main 
theories  have  been  advanced  concerning  the  action  of  the  thyroid 
gland.  "  The  first  is  the  auto-infection  theory — the  gland  having 
for  its  function  the  destruction  of  the  natural  toxins;  without  the 
latter  we  have  the  condition  known  as  myxedema.  The  second  is 
the  internal-secretion  theory — the  thyroid  being  considered  as 
a  secreting  gland.  The  secretion  is  taken  up  by  the  lymph  ves- 
sels, and  is  necessary  for  the  proper  metabolism  of  the  body,  espe- 
cially for  nervous  and  connective  tissue.  According  to  either  of 
these  theories,  the  administration  of  the  desiccated  gland  supplies 
the  lacking  secretion,  which  may  be  some  chemic  substance  that 
is  necessary  to  health  or  even  life.  Ewald,  in  a  pithy  sentence, 
states  that  the  gland  acts  as  an  antitoxin  against  certain  elements 
that  appear  as  by-products  of  tissue  change.  The  exact  constituents 
of  this  substance  have  never  been  definitely  made  known.  An  organic 
