136  Progress  in  Pharmacy.  { ^"iilS' fm™"" 
Helenic  Acid. — Reeb  {Nauveaux  Remedes^  1910,  511)  has 
extracted  from  the  leaves  and  flowers  of  Helenium  autumnale  a 
crystalline  glucoside  of  the  formula  (C8Hio02)x.  It  melts  at  161° 
and  is  of  an  acid  nature,  and  has  therefore  been  named  helenic  acid. 
On  hydrolysis  it  yields  glucose  and  a  body  not  further  examined. — 
Chem.  &  Drug.,  Lond.,  191 1,  v.  78,  p.  48. 
L-suPRARENiN  SYNTHETIC  is  epinephrine  produced  synthetically 
according  to  the  method  of  Stolz  and  Flaecher  (Ztschr.  f.  physiol. 
Chem.,  V.  58,  p.  189).  It  occurs  as  a  white  odorless  powder  nearly 
insoluble  in  water,  alcohol  and  ether.  It  melts  at  211  to  212°  C, 
and,  as  its  name  indicates,  has  the  power  of  rotating  polarized 
light  to  the  left.  This  substance  has  the  chemical  and  physical 
properties  and  produces  the  physiologic  effect  of  natural  epinephrine 
obtained  from  suprarenal  glands. — /.  Am.  M.  Ass.,  1911,  v.  51, 
p.  120. 
L-suPRARENiN  SYNTHETIC  BiTARTRATE  is  the  acid  tartrate  of 
1-suprarenin  synthetic.  It  occurs  as  a  white  odorless  powder  readily 
soluble  in  water,  yielding  an  acid  solution.  It  melts  at  149°  C.  and 
rotates  polarized  light  to  the  left. — Ibid. 
Niemeyer's  Pill. — James  Tyson  asserts  that  the  name  "  Nie~ 
meyer's  Pill  "  is  being  erroneously  applied  to  the  well-known  pill 
of  calomel,  squill  and  digitalis.  This  pill  antedates  Niemeyer,  and 
if  known  by  any  name  it  should  be  that  of  Addison  or  Guy. 
The  true  Niemeyer  pill  is  composed  of  one  grain  of  quinine,  one- 
half  grain  of  digitalis  and  one-quarter  grain  of  opium,  and  was  used 
by  that  physician  for  the  fever  of  pulmonary  tuberculosis. — /.  Am. 
M.  Ass.,  1911,  V.  56,  p.  2X1.    See  also  p.  443. 
Phenolphthalein,  Action  of. — Fritz  C.  Koehler  reports  an 
experiment  made  upon  himself,  to  determine  the  factors  influencing 
the  action  of  phenolphthalein  as  an  aperient.  He  found  that  while 
o.io  Gm.  of  phenolphthalein  had  a  distinctly  laxative  action  under 
ordinary  conditions  and  when  the  feces  reacted  alkaline  a  much 
larger  dose  had  no  effect  when  the  diet  was  regulated  to  produce 
an  acid  reaction  of  the  feces. — Schzimz.  Wchnschr.  f.  Chem.  ii. 
Pharm.,  1910,  v.  62,  p.  802. 
Poppy. — M.  G.  J.  M.  Kerbosch  reports  a  comprehensive  study 
to  determine  where  and  when  the  important  opium  alkaloids  are 
formed  in  the  growing  plant.  He  concludes  that  seeds  of  Papaver 
somniferum  L.  contain  a  trace  of  narcotine  and  amorphus  alkaloid. 
The  germinating  seeds  have  an  increased  narcotine  content  and  the 
