564      Advances  in  Materia  Medica  and  Pharmacy.  {^5Jo«3SerPmet 
satisfactory.  It  is  said  that  smaller  plantations  in  various  parts  of 
Florida  will  soon  begin  to  show  results.  This  is  the  result  of  a 
campaign  begun  twelve  years  ago  by  the  government.  As  more  and 
more  land  is  to  be  used  for  the  cultivation  of  the  camphor  laurel  in 
this  section  of  the  country,  it  is  probable  that  in  ten  years  this  coun- 
try will  be  independent  of  foreign  camphor  producers.  {Journal 
A.  M.  A.,  October  30,  1915,  p.  1555.) 
Betanaphthyl  Salicylate. — Betanaphtholis  Salicylas — Betan. 
■ — The  salicylic  acid  ester  of  betanaphthol.  This  drug  has  been 
accepted  for  inclusion  in  "  New  and  Non-official  Remedies  "  by  the 
Council  on  Pharmacy  and  Chemistry  of  the  American  Medical  Asso- 
ciation. It  is  claimed  that  betanaphthyl  salicylate  undergoes  no 
change  in  the  stomach,  but  is  decomposed  when  it  reaches  the  intes- 
tines by  the  pancreatic  juice  and  intestinal  secretions.  It  is  also 
believed  to  be  of  use  as  an  antiseptic  in  the  bladder.  It  also  has  the 
antirheumatic  properties  of  salicylic  acid.  The  dose  is  from  0.30 
to  0.50  Gm.  It  is  also  found  on  the  market  as  a  proprietary  prepara- 
tion under  the  name  "  Betol."  It  is  obtained  by  heating  betanaph- 
thyl-sodium  and  sodium  salicylate  with  phosphorus  oxychloride  at 
from  1200  to  1300  C. 
It  is  a  white,  shining,  crystalline  powder,  colorless  and  tasteless, 
melting  at  93. 20  C.  It  is  insoluble  in  cold  or  hot  water  or  glycerin, 
difficultly  soluble  in  cold  alcohol  or  turpentine,  easily  soluble  in  boiling 
alcohol,  in  ether,  in  benzene,  and  in  warm  linseed  oil.  It  should  not 
give  a  violet  color  with  ferric  chloride  test-solution.  (Journal  of 
A.  M.  A.,  October  30,  1915,  p.  1553.) 
A  Delicate  Reaction  for  Apomorphine. — One  part  of  apo- 
morphine  in  500,000  can  be  detected  with  the  following  test :  To  5 
mils  of  the  solution  of  apomorphine  5  drops  of  a  saturated  solution  of 
HgCl2  are  added,  and  then  5  drops  of  a  10  per  cent,  solution  of 
sodium  acetate.  The  mixture  is  boiled  for  a  few  minutes.  On 
cooling,  1  to  2  mils  of  amyl  alcohol  are  added,  which  on  shaking  is 
colored  blue  if  apomorphine  be  present.  (Ann.  Chim.  Anal.,  191 5, 
3>P- 61.) 
Formaldehyde  Fumigation. — A  two-ounce  saturated  solution 
of  alum  mixed  with  eight  ounces  of  solution  of  formaldehyde  and 
the  mixture  poured  over  one  pound  of  slaked  lime  is  an  efficient 
and  economical  method  of  room  disinfection.  This  amount  is  suf- 
ficient to  fumigate  1000  cubic  feet  of  room  space.  (Meyer  Bros. 
Druggist,  August,  191 5,  p.  245.) 
