1 1 8  Note  on  Atropine  Sulphate.  lAmMwi?vm.m' 
European  countries  now  forbid  the  use  of  such  chemicals  as  salicylic 
acid  and  borax  for  the  preservation  of  food,  and  any  method  which 
will  do  away  with  their  use  is  certainly  a  step  in  the  right  direc- 
tion. 
Not  to  unnecessarily  prolong  this  article,  the  following' list  com- 
prises most  of  the  substances  in  a  pharmacist's  stock  that  are  liable 
to  infection.  In  some,  of  course,  the  danger  is  small,  but  they  are 
added  for  the  sake  of  completeness.  Water  used  in  making  solu- 
tions, including  distilled  ;  all  aromatic  waters,  aqueous  mixtures 
and  chemical  solutions  (not  antiseptic),  including  dilute  acids;  decoc- 
tions, infusions,  vinegars,  mucilages  and  plant  juices;  syrups  and 
confections  ;  lard,  oils  and  emulsions  ;  elixirs  and  wines  ;  fluid  extracts 
and  tinctures  made  from  dilute  or  weaker  alcohol ;  solid  extracts, 
all  damp  drugs,  and  drugs  from  the  animal  kingdom  like  pepsin, 
ox-gall,  etc. 
New  York  Dispensary, 
February,  1890. 
NOTE  ON  PURE  ATROPINE  SULPHATE. 
By  J.  B.  Nagelvoort. 
There  is  no  necessity  to  repeat  what  science  owes  to  Schmidt, 
Ladenburg  and  Will  on  atropine,  hyoscyamine  and  hyoscine.  Their 
labors  are  known  and  appreciated. 
I  desire  only  to  record  an  observation  about  the  situation  of 
to-day.  Presuming  that  the  distinction  made  in  the  price  currents 
of  chemical  manufacturers  in  speaking  of  heavy  sulphate  of  atro- 
pine (the  condensation  product  of  hyoscyamine),  or  in  mentioning  a 
contradictory  melting  point  ( 1 1 5 0  C),  or  in  quoting  atropinnm 
punim  and  atropinnm  naturale,  will  not  be  understood  by  many. 
The  pharmacist  would  be  saved  a  good  deal  of  annoyance  if  the 
revised  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia,  in  its  description  of  the  properties  of 
atropine  sulphate  and  pure  atropine,  would  not  repeat  the  accuracy 
of  the  edition  of  1882,  that  these  compounds  must  answer  satis- 
factorily to  properties,  distinctly  different  from  those  of  hyoscya- 
mine. Eminent  ophthalmological  authorities  have  observed  that 
the  effect  of  both,  alkaloids  on  the  healthy  and  on  the  diseased  eye 
is  equal.  The  samples  of  atropine  sulphate,  on  which  my  observa- 
tions are  based,  were  derived  from  two  different  manufacturers  of 
