M.m.  Jour,  Pharos.  \ 
April,  1891.  j 
Antikamnia. 
181 
product  is  obtained  by  passing  chlorine  into  an  alkaline  solution  of 
thymol  until  there  is  a  decided  excess  of  chlorine. 
These  are  evidently  chlorine  compounds  with  thymol,  most 
likely  a  dithymol  compound,  and  worthy  of  further  investigation. 
ANTIKAMNIA.  ^ 
By  F.  W.  Haussmann. 
Read  at  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy,  March  17. 
Samples  of  this  new  antipyretic,  for  which  extravagant  virtues 
have  been  claimed,  were  recently  distributed  among  a  number 
of  physicians  by  a  St.  Louis  firm.  Its  basis  is  stated  to  be  an 
amido  derivative  of  benzol,  which  differed  from  the  numerous 
recently  introduced  organic  antipyretics  and  anodynes  by  leav- 
ing no  ill  after-effects.  Headache,  neuralgic  afflictions,  rheumatism, 
etc.,  were  claimed  to  be  beneficially  influenced  by  the  specific,  and 
the  above  statements  have  induced  a  number  of  physicians  to  pre- 
scribe the  article. 
Several  peculiarities  in  its  physical  condition,  especially  its  taste 
and  behavior  to  solvents,  gave  rise  to  the  suspicion  that  a  mere 
mixture  of  several  compounds  was  under  examination.  It  occurs 
in  a  white,  dry  powder,  resembling  antipyrine  to  some  extent,  with- 
out odor  and  of  a  somewhat  burning  taste.  When  thrown  into 
water  or  placed  on  the  tongue  a  slight  effervescence  is  observed. 
About  50  per  cent,  of  it  is  soluble  in  cold  water,  and  both  the  physi- 
cal and  chemical  behavior  prove  this  to  be  mainly  bicarbonate  of 
sodium. 
The  solution  effervesces  strongly  with  dilute  acids  and  when  a 
drop  is  held  in  the  flame  of  a  Bunsen  burner,  the  characteristic 
yellow  sodium  color  is  observed.  The  acid,  which  produces  the 
effervescence  stated  when  thrown  into  water,  is  believed  to  be 
tartaric,  as  the  tests  for  the  latter  answer  readily. 
Phenol  compounds,  such  as  salicylates  or  antipyrine,  are  not 
present,  neutral  ferric  chloride  giving  no  color  reaction.  The  por- 
tion left  undissolved  by  water,  was  already  from  its  physical  pecu- 
liarities suspected  to  be  antifebrin  or  acetanilid.  Chemical  examin- 
ation readily  proved  this  to  be  the  case.  When  heated  with  caustic 
potassa  or  soda  in  the  presence  of  chloroform  the  characteristic 
isonitrile  odor  is  developed.    Heated  with  strong  nitric  or  sulphuric 
