132 
Progress  in  Pharmacy, 
I  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
I       Maiilj,  1911. 
systematic  study  of  their  antiseptic  action  has  been  made,  in  a 
recent  investigation  made  by  W.  H.  Martindale  to  determine  the 
carboHc  acid  coefficient  of  each  oil  or  aromatic  substance  studied,  it 
was  found  that  oil  of  origanum  had  upwards  of  25  times  the  co- 
efficient of  carbolic  acid ;  thymol  and  carvacrol  were  found  to  be 
nearly  as  active  as  oil  of  organum,  the  coefficient  figures  being  25.29 
and  21.32  respectively. — Chem.  &  Drug.,  Lond.,  1910,  v.  77,  p.  832. 
Chemistry  of  the  Terpenes  and  Camphors. — Joseph  Samuel 
Hepburn,  in  a  recent  number  of  the  Journal  of  the  Franklin  Insti- 
tute (February,  1911,  v.  171,  pp.  179-203),  presents  an  interesting- 
review  of  the  work  that  has  been  done  by  Otto  Wallach  and  his 
students  on  the  chemistry  of  the  terpenes  and  camphors  and  their 
related  compounds.  As  many  of  the  compounds  referred  to  are 
official  or  at  least  common  articles  in  the  average  drug  store,  this 
review  will  be  found  to  be  of  unusual  interest  to  pharmacists  who 
are  desirous  of  learning  the  relations  existing  between  them. 
Stirring  Rod. — An  abstract  (from  Siidd.  Apoth.-Ztg.,  19 10, 
p.  622)  points  out  that  glass  tubing  properly  sealed  at  either  end 
makes  a  much  better  stirring  rod  than  a  soHd  glass  rod.  The 
resulting  rod  is  lighter,  has  a  greater  volume,  and,  as  a  rule,  does 
not  break  so  readily,  even  when  dropped  on  a  wooden  table. — 
Schweiz.  Wchnschr.  f.  Chem.  u.  Pharm.,  Zurich,  1910,  v.  48,  p.  765. 
Melting-Point  Determination. — Atherton  Seidell  describes 
and  illustrates  a  convenient  arrangement  for  providing  constant 
stirring  of  the  sulphuric  acid  or  other  bath  in  making  melting-point 
determinations.  The  mechanical  stirring  device  is  driven  by  a  small 
water  motor,  while  an  even  heating  of  the  bath  is  insured  by  protect- 
ing the  flame  from  air  currents  and  by  preventing  the  free  flame 
from  coming  in  contact  with  the  tube  containing  the  bath. — /.  Am. 
Chem.  Soc.,  1911,  v.  33,  p.  83. 
Drops. — Wulff  and  Hillen  describe  and  illustrate  a  normal  drop 
ampoulle  which  they  believe  to  be  particularly  well  adapted  to 
serve  as  the  normal  drop  counter  provided  for  by  the  Brussels  Con- 
ference Protocol. 
The  apparatus  can  be  used  for  dispensing  substances  that  are  to 
be  used  in  drop  doses,  particularly  solutions  to  be  used  in  the  eye, 
where  sterility  is  considered  to  be  an  important  factor. — Apoth. 
Ztg.,  Berl.,  1909,  V.  25,  p.  1014.  See  also  Pharm.  Post,  1911,  v.  44, 
p.  53. 
Salvarsan  is  the  name  under  which  "  606  "  is  being  marketed 
