ATeb<°i;?873?M'}   Gleanings  from  the  European  Journals.  69 
While  on  the  subject  of  ointments,  I  will  say  a  few  words  about 
Ungt.  Hydrarg.  Oxidi  Rubri. — Every  pharmacist  has  heard, 
with  dismay,  on  some  very  busy  day,  a  call  for  ten  cents'  worth  of 
this  bete  noir.  A  short  time  ago  I  saw  in  one  of  our  journals  the  fol- 
lowing formula : 
Jfy.  Olei  Ricini,  ....  ^vj, 
Cerge  albas,  ....  gij, 
Hydrarg.  Oxidi  Rubri,  .  .  .  sj. 
M.  ft.  ungt.  1.  a. 
This  makes  an  ointment  of  good  consistency,  and  keeps.  I  have 
some,  made  six  months  ago,  which  shows  no  signs  of  change,  being  as 
bright  as  when  first  made.  But  it  has  the  objection,  when  freshly 
prepared,  of  having,  in  a  considerable  degree,  the  unpleasant  odor  of 
castor  oil,  although  this  is  partially  lost  in  time ;  but,  what  is  more 
objectionable,  it  has  the  irritating  properties  of  the  oil  when  applied 
to  delicate  parts,  as  the  eyelids.  To  obviate  this  I  substituted  olive 
oil  for  the  castor  oil,  but  not  with  satisfactory  results  ;  still  I  am  not 
able  to  state  positively  that  olive  oil,  entirely  free  from  rancidity, 
will  deoxidize  the  mercury,  as  I  have  some  doubts  about  the  oil  I 
used.  I  then  tried  sweet  oil  of  almonds ;  with  this  I  have  an  oint- 
ment, made  ten  weeks  ago,  which  has  as  yet  shown  no  signs  of  change. 
I  had  previously  tried  lard,  purified  by  different  methods,  also  adding 
a  few  drops  liq.  potassae,  as  remarked  in  the  U.  S.  Dispensatory ;  but 
in  each  case  there  was  a  reduction  of  the  oxide. 
New  York,  Jan.  16,  1873. 
Note. — Ointment  of  oxide  of  mercury,  made  with  yellow  wax  as 
directed  by  the  new  Pharmacopoeia,  will  keep  unaltered  for  several 
weeks. — Ed.  Am.  Journ.  Pharm. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  EUROPEAN  JOURNALS. 
By  the  Editor. 
Resin  of  guaiacum  and  its  constituents  have  been  studied  by  E. 
Schaer  with  the  view  of  ascertaining  which  principle  has  the  property 
of  striking  the  well  known  blue  coloration  with  oxidizing  agents. 
The  action  of  simple  solvents  upon  the  crude  resin  cannot  clear  up 
this  question,  since  some  constituents,  though  insoluble  in  a  simple 
