320 
J  rarieties. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pbarm. 
I       June.  1890. 
George  Thurber,  M.D.,  died  near  Passaic,  X.  J.,  April  2,  aged  69  years.  He 
was  a  native  of  Rhode  Island,  and  was  formerly  a  pharmacist,  devoting  his 
energies  to  the  stud}-  of  botany,  and  also  to  chemistry.  His  explorations  of 
the  botany  of  various  sections  and  localities  in  North  America  form  valuable 
contributions  to  botanical  science.  He  was  professor  of  botany  and  materia 
medica  in  the  New  York  College  of  Pharmacy  from  1856  to  1S61,  was  con- 
nected for  several  years  with  the  State  Agricultural  College  of  Michigan  at 
Lansing,  and  for  a  long  period  was  editor  of  The  American  Agriculturist, 
until  failing  health  compelled  his  retirement. 
VARIETIES. 
Preparation  of  Aseptic  Catgut. — Brunner  has  recently  studied  the  methods  of 
disinfecting  catgut  for  surgical  purposes  \  Schmidt's  Jahrbucher,  No.  3,  1890), 
and  believes  that  raw  catgut  is  easily  rendered  aseptic.  His  method  of  pre- 
paring it  is  as  follows  :  The  catgut  is  first  scrubbed  with  a  potash  soap,  then 
placed  for  twelve  hours  in  ether,  and  then  for  a  time  in  a  1  :  1000  water}- solution 
of  sublimate.  It  is  preserved  in  a  solution  composed  of  sublimate  1  part, 
glvcerine  100  parts,  absolute  alcohol  900  parts.  Before  using,  the  gut  must  be 
placed  in  1  :  1000  watery  sublimate  solution. 
The  author's  experience  with  gut  prepared  in  this  manner  shows  that  it  is 
absolutely  safe  and  unirritating  to  the  tissue. 
Referring  to  the  use  of  silk  and  linen  sutures  and  ligatures,  Brunner  says 
that  though  they  may  be  thoroughly  disinfected  by  boiling,  experience  has 
shown  that  even  then,  if  placed  deeply  in  the  tissue,  they  will  occasionally 
excite  suppuration. — Medical  News,  April  12. 
Peruvian  Balsam  in  Local  Tuberculosis. — According  to  the  Provincial 
Medical  Journal,  Dr.  Jasinski,  of  Warsaw,  has  used  Peruvian  balsam  in  thirty- 
one  cases  of  local  tuberculosis  of  the  bones  and  skin  with  excellent  results. 
The  drug  was  used  either  in  substance  or  in  an  alcoholic  mixture,  and  was  in 
some  cases  applied  as  a  dressing,  in  others  was  injected  into  tuberculous  cavi- 
ties. In  all  but  one  of  the  cases  healing  ensued  more  or  less  rapidly. — Med. 
News,  May  10,  1S90. 
The  Inefficiency  of  Sand  Filters. — Drs.  Frankel  and  Pief  ke,  of  Berlin,  have 
recently  made  an  exhaustive  study  on  the  filtration  of  drinking  water  through 
sand  \Zeitschrift  fur  Hygiene,  No.  1,  1S90).  Their  experiments  conclusively 
prove  that  the  danger  of  infection  from  impure  water  is  only  slightly  reduced 
by  filtration  through  sand  ;  bacteria  passing  through  at  all  times,  but  in  larger 
numbers  just  after  the  filter  has  been  cleaned  and  again  after  it  has  been  in  use 
for  some  time. — Med.  News,  May  10,  1890. 
Salicylate  of  sodium  in  general  pruritus. — Dr.  Wertheimer,  in  the  Miinchener 
medicifiische  Wochenschrifi,  advises  the  treatment  of  general  pruritus  by  means 
of  a  three-oer-cent.  solution  of  sodium  salicylate,  in  doses  of  a  tablespoonful 
thrice  daily.  This  plan  of  treatment,  he  says,  may  be  continued  for  some  time, 
in  the  confident  belief  that  it  will  not  only  promptly  moderate  the  unpleasant 
pruritic  symptoms,  but  also  radically  remove  the  underlying  disease. — N.  Y. 
Med.  Jour.,  Mar.  S. 
