566      Advances  in  Materia  Medica  and  Pharmacy.  { December1*!?™' 
same  bactericidal  powers  towards  24  hours'  broth  culture  of  typhoid, 
bacteria  as  has  the  standard  1  per  cent,  solution  of  carbolic  acid. 
(Lancet,  September  11,  1915,  p.  604.) 
The  Council  on  Pharmacy  and  Chemistry  of  the  A..M.  A. 
has  accepted  histamine  hydrochloride,  the  hydrochloride  of  the  base 
beta-iminazolylethylamine  (histamine).  Histamine  is  closely  related 
to.  histidine,  from  which  it  differs  in  that  one  molecule  of  carbon 
dioxide  has  been  eliminated.  Histamine  hydrochloride  has  a  power- 
ful contractile  action  on  certain  muscular  fibres  and  a  strong  vaso- 
constrictor action.  The  available  evidence  does  not  warrant  a 
recommendation  for  its  therapeutic  use,  but  it  is  a  valuable  reagent 
for  the  standardization  of  pituitary  and  similar  preparations.  (Jour, 
of  A.  M.  A.,  October,  191-5,  p.  1367.) 
Mercurialized  serum  has  also  been  accepted  by  the  same  body. 
It  is  a  solution  of  mercuric  chloride  in  normal  horse  serum,  diluted 
with  physiologic  sodium  chloride  solution.  It  is  claimed  to  be  of 
value  in  the  treatment  of  syphilis,  particularly  of  the  cerebrospinal 
type.  It  may  be  given  intravenously  or  intraspinally.  (Jour,  of 
A.  M.  A.,  October,  1915,  p.  1185.) 
Galyl. — A  substitute  for  salvarsan  and  neosalvarsan.  It  is 
claimed  that  this  drug  is  a  definite  chemical  composed  of  two  mole- 
cules of  arsenobenzol  linked  doubly  with  two  phosphoric  groups.  It 
is  a  yellow  powder,  insoluble  in  water,  and  has  an  arsenic  content  of 
35  per  cent.  ;  also  contains  phosphorus  to  the  extent  of  7  per  cent. 
It  dissolves  readily  in  water  in  the  presence  of  sodium  carbonate;  in 
fact,  the  drug  is  marketed  with  the  required  proportions  of  sodium 
carbonate  present.  It  is  best  given  intravenously.  Given  intra- 
muscularly, it  causes  pain,  and,  like  salvarsan,  may  lead  to  necrosis. 
(Lancet,  through  New  York  Medical  Journal,  October,  191 5,  p.  822.) 
A  New  Disinfectant. — A.  F.  Stevenson,  of  the  U.  S.  Public 
Health  Service,  in  a  report  issued  October  8,  1915,  makes  mention  of 
a  disinfecting  fluid  made  by  the  saponification  of  pine  oil  and  rosin, 
using  NaOH  as  the  alkali.  The  result  is  a  dark  reddish-brown 
liquid,  clear,  thick,  and  of  an  oily  consistency.  When  added  to 
water  it  makes  a  milky  emulsion.  It  has  a  phenol  cpefficiency  of 
between  4  and  6.  Unlike  the  cresol  preparations  of  a  similar  nature, 
it  has  a  rather  pleasant  odor.  (New  York  Medical  Journal,  October, 
1915,  p.  862.) 
Detection  of  Arachis  Oil  in  Olive  Oil. — Arachis  oil,  more 
generally  known  as  peanut  or  ground-nut  oil,  is  quite  frequently  used 
