Am'/a0nU!'i8P9oarm"}     Abstracts  from  the  French  Journals.  19 
for  an  abundant  precipitate  is  soon  formed.  I  have  sought  to  deter- 
mine the  proper  amount  of  glycerin  to  be  used  from  the  point  of  view 
of  the  needs  of  practice,  and  have  also  endeavored  to  ascertain  the 
exact  quantity  of  water  which  it  is  possible  to  add  to  glyceric  solu- 
tions. I  found  that  1  gm.  of  salicylic  acid  dissolved,  with  heat,  in 
50  gm.  of  glycerin,  and  gave  no  deposit  on  cooling.  This  degree  of 
solubility  is  sufficient  for  many  purposes,  such  as  throat-collutories 
and  other  washes,  which  may  be  made  as  follows:  Salicylic  acid,  25 
or  50  cgm.,  glycerin  (28°B.)  25  gm.;  dissolve  with  heat.  In  using  a 
more  concentrated  glycerin,  stronger  salicylic  solutions  may  be  ob- 
tained. With  regard  to  the  addition  of  water,  I  found  that  10  gm. 
of  water  added  to  a  1  to  50  glyceric  solution  of  salicylic  acid  gave  a 
precipitate.  To  solutions  of  1  to  100,  however,  water  may  be  added 
in  all  proportions. — Repert.  de  Phar.,  Nov.  10. 
Preparations  of  Naphthol. — Naphthol  is  often  prescribed  in 
potions  which  are  usually  made  by  dissolving  it  in  twice  its  weight 
of  ether,  alcohol  or  glycerin  and  adding  the  solution  to  the  potion. 
According  to  M.  Mainiel,  naphthol  dispensed  in  this  way  soon  pre- 
cipitates. He  proposes  that  the  naphthol  be  dissolved  in  ten  times  its 
weight  of  the  oil  of  sweet  almonds.  The  solution  is  easily  effected 
with  the  acid  of  gentle  heat.  Gum,  syrup,  etc.  may  be  agitated  with 
the  oil  to  make  an  emulsion,  in  which  the  naphthol  remains  suspended 
in  a  condition  of  perfect  division. —  Union  Phar. ;  Repert.  de  Phar., 
Nov.  10. 
Sensitive  Reagent  for  Mercurial  Vapors. — Professor 
Merget  uses  as  a  reagent  a  saturated,  aqueous  solution  of  nitrate  of 
mercury  treated  with  liq.  ammonia  until  precipitation  ceases.  The 
preparation  remains  unaltered  for  several  months.  With  this,  a  few 
lines  may  be  traced  on  a  sheet  of  paper  and  the  excess  absorbed  with 
a  blotter.  One-half  the  sheet  is  then  exposed  to  the  action  of  the 
suspected  vapors  and  is  afterward  compared  with  the  other  half,  when 
the  mercurial  influence  of  the  vapor  is  detected.  The  test  is  very 
sensitive. — Bull,  de  la  Soc.  de  Phar.  de  Bordeaux,  Sept. 
Solidago  Virgaurea  in  Cardiac  Dropsy. — Dr.  Mascarel  is 
said  (La  France  medicate,  Oct.  8, 18 v  9)  to  have  used  the  plant  very  suc- 
cessfully in  these  cases.  It  has  long  been  used  by  country  practitioners  to 
produce  diaphoresis.  It  grows  plentifully  in  the  Northern  parts  of  the 
United  States,  and  resembles  Sol-odora,  the  "  sweet-scented  golden 
rod,"  or  "  blue-mountain  tea."  In  administering  it  for  cardiac  dropsy, 
