AmMiTch,i8h9Lm'}   Abstracts  from  the  French  Journals.  129 
phenomena  from  its  use.  Gases  resulting  from  intestinal  fermenta- 
tion do  not  further  appear  after  its  ingestion,  and  colic  and  vomiting 
soon  cease.  The  intestinal  flux  soon  moderates  and  disappears 
under  the  influence  of  salol. 
Cutaneous  Absorption  of  Lard  and  Vaselin. — M.  M.  Adam  and 
Schoumacher  (Rev.  de  m'ed.  vet.),  prepared  ointments  of  lard  and 
varied  quantities  of  hydrochlorate  of  strychnine,  which  they  applied 
(without  friction)  to  the  shaved  scalps  of  dogs.  An  ointment  of 
8  gm.  of  lard  and  5  cgm.  of  strychnine  produced  no  toxic  symp- 
toms ;  one  of  50  cgm.  of  strychnine  determined  slight  hyperesthesia ; 
one  of  2  gm.  of  the  salt,  to  8  gm.  of  lard  brought  about  a  tetanic 
attack  within  3  minutes,  in  a  dog  weighing  5  kilogrammes ;  he  died 
in  20  minutes.  A  dog  of  36  kilc0»*ammes  died  in  12  hours.  With 
ointments  containing  2  gm.  of  strychnine  and  8  gm.  of  vaselin,  the 
authors  observed  no  signs  of  intoxication. — R'epert.  de  Phar.,  Jan. 
Innocuousness  of  Strontium  Salts. — In  a  paper  read  before  the 
Societ'e  de  Biologie  (Paris,  Dec.  13,  1890)  Professor  Laborde  stated 
that  the  salts  of  strontium  were  not  toxic,  even  when  given  for 
relatively  long  periods  of  time.  They  produced  diuretic  effects, 
however,  and  these  have  been  substantiated,  clinically,  by  Professor 
See,  who  used  the  lactate  and  the  tartrate  of  strontium.  Care 
should  be  taken  to  obtain  pure  salts  for  clinical  use.  Dr.  Laborde 
thought  that  strontium  exercised  a  preservative  action  upon  organic 
tissues,  liquids  and  excretions.  He  said  that  the  contrast  between 
the  extreme  toxicity  of  baryta  and  the  harmlessness  of  strontia  con- 
stituted an  interesting  fact  Tor  chemists,  which  must  revolutionize 
current  notions  that  chemical  relationship  decides  any  analogy  in 
toxic  or  other  physiological  action. 
Salicylate  of  Mercury  as  a  Surgical  Dressing. — In  a  report 
to  the  Societ'e  de  Chirurgie  (Paris,  Dec.  27,  1890),  M.  Vacher  said 
that  the  obstacle  to  use  of  this  salt  in  the  manner  described  lay  in 
its  insolubility.  He  overcame  this  by  causing  the  salicylate  of  soda 
to  react  upon  the  bichloride  of  mercury.  The  double  decompo- 
sition gave  rise  to  salicylate  of  mercury  and  chloride  of  sodium, 
and  the  latter  salt  added  to  the  solvency  of  the  former.  The  solu- 
tion thus  obtained  has  no  irritating  properties.  Dr.  Vacher  used 
solutions  of  I  to  1,000  of  the  salicylate  of  mercury,  which  he  pre- 
pared in  accordance  with  the  following  formula :  Corrosive  subli- 
mate, 1  gm. ;  salicylate  of  soda,  2  gm. ;  distilled  water,  1,000  gm. 
