6i8 
Vulcanization  of  India-rubber. 
Am  Jour.  Pharm 
Dec,  1890. 
insoluble,  making  it  necessary  to  treat  it  with  caustic  soda.  Even 
in  solutions,  carbonic  acid  acts  upon  diuretine,  and  the  mixtures 
become  cloudy  on  account  of  the  precipitation  of  theobromine. 
Not  only  weak  acids,  but  such  salts  as  the  biborates,  bicarbonates 
and  dimetallic  phosphates  decompose  diuretine;  hence,  we  cannot 
use  it  with  fruit  syrups,  or  with  soda  bicarbonate.  There  is  no 
advantage  in  giving  theobromine  transformed  into  diuretine,  since, 
on  reaching  the  stomach,  it  is  decomposed  by  the  gastric  juice.  It 
would  be  preferable  to  give  theobromine  in  cachets,  or  by  enema. 
M.  Lambert,  Jour,  de  Ph.  et  de  Ck.,  Oct.  15. 
Examination  of  an  Intestinal  Product. — M.  Balzer,  a  pharma- 
cist of  Biois,  writes  to  the  R'epert.  de  Phar.,  of  Nov.  10,  that  a 
patient,  on  the  advice  of  several  physicians  brought  to  him  an 
intestinal  product  for  analysis.  It  consisted  of  a  brownish  strip  of 
mucoid  substance  measuring  80  x  3  centimetres.  An  examination 
with  the  microscope  showed  some  sparse  epithelial  cells,  a  small 
quantity  of  blood  globules  and  some  of  the  detritus  of  digestion. 
Treaynent  with  ether,  and  evaporation  gave  a  somewhat  abundant 
residuum  of  fatty  matter,  and  on  calcination  it  yielded  a  very  small 
quantity  of  ash.  All  of  the  substances  were  confined  in  a  sort  of 
net-work,  apparently  formed  of  incompletely  digested  albuminous 
matter.  Evidently  this  substance  was  unlike  blood  serum ;  like 
egg  albumen  it  was  coagulable  with  ether,  which  would  have  been 
impossible  after  a  commencing  putrid  decomposition,  that  is,  after 
ammoniacal  alkalinization.  Hence,  it  was  concluded  that  the  sub- 
stance had  been  secreted  by  the  intestinal  glands,  and  had  become 
detached,  carrying  away  a  thin  mucous  layer,  whose  separation  had 
given  rise  to  a  slight  hemorrhage. 
NOTES  ON  THE  VULCANIZATION  AND  DECAY  OF 
INDIA-RUBBER.1 
By  William  Thomson,  F. R.S.Ed.,  F.C.S. 
Under  ordinary  conditions  india-rubber  for  vulcanizing  is  usually 
mixed  with  sulphur  and  heated  to  a  high  temperature,  when  che- 
mical combination  takes  place  between  the  sulphur  and  the  rubber, 
producing  a  much  more  valuable  compound  for  ordinary  purposes 
than  unvulcanized  rubber;  the  former  remaining  soft  at  very  low 
1  Read  before  the  British  Association,  Leeds  Meeting,  Section  B.  Reprinted 
from  Chem.  News,  Oct.  17,  1890,  p.  192. 
