ajuS;  £M'  \  Detection  of  Substitution  of  Garb.  Acid,  etc.  269 
important  principles  of  the  blood,  that  is  iron,  by  M.  Lamey,  and 
afterwards  by  Berzelius.  According  to  Berzelius,  a  distinguished 
professor  of  chemistry,  the  blood  of  the  ox  is  most  similar  to  that  of 
man ;  this,  in  fact,  I  have  used  in  several  cases  of  general  weakness 
with  anaemia,  and  in  cases  of  chlorosis. 
The  blood  of  the  ox,  after  being  dried  in  a  water-bath,  is  reduced 
into  a  very  fine  powder,  and  grated  through  a  sieve.  Dry  blood  can 
be  taken  for  any  length  of  time,  being  almost  tasteless,  and  no  repug- 
nance is  likely  to  be  felt,  as  is  often  the  case  with  raw  meat.  It  can 
be  taken  as  any  common  powder,  mixed  with  soups,  milk,  marmalade, 
chocolate,  or  enclosed  in  a  wafer. 
In  two  cases  I  have  given  the  powdered  blood  under  the  name  of 
nutritive  powders,  mixed  with  a  small  quantity  of  pepsin ;  choosing 
that  name  lest  ladies,  startled  by  one  more  precise,  might  have  diffi- 
culty in  taking  the  medicine. 
The  quantity  to  be  taken  may  vary  according  to  the  age,  sex,  or 
the  state  of  health  and  digestive  power  of  the  patient.  In  general,  I 
begin  with  thirty  grains,  which  is  increased  according  to  circum- 
stances ;  but  quantity  must  be  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  physician 
who  prescribes. — Med.  Press  and  Cire.,  Lond.,  Jan.  29,  1873. 
DETECTION  OF  THE  SUBSTITUTION  OF  CARBOLIC  ACID  FOR 
ORE  ASOTE. 
By  John  A.  Clark,  Guelph. 
In  the  Can.  Pharm.  Journal,  No.  12,  Vol.  5,*  there  is  a  communi- 
cation from  Mr.  Morson,  London,  on  the  substitution  of  carbolic  acid 
for  creasote.  He  states  that  there  is  no  good  test  for  distinguishing 
between  the  two,  but  proposes  the  use  of  glycerin,  in  which  carbolic 
acid  is  easily  soluble,  but  creasote  insoluble.  A  far  better  test  is  the 
alcoholic  solution  of  perchloride  iron  (or  Tr.  Ferri  Perchlor  B.  P.), 
which,  when  added  to  an  alcoholic  solution  of  -creasote,  produces  a 
"  dark  greenish-blue"  color,  but  with  an  alcoholic  solution  of  carbo- 
lic acid  only  a  "light  brown  "  coloration.  By  this  test  1  part  of  cre- 
asote in  500  parts  carbolic  acid  can  be  easily  detected.  But  the  adul- 
teration of  creasote  by  carbolic  acid  is  more  difficult  to  detect,  but 
can  be  ascertained  in  the  following  way :  Boil  a  few  drops  of  creasote 
with  nitric  acid  (about  2  drs.)  until  red  fumes  are  no  longer  evolved ; 
this  yields  a  solution,  which,  when  neutralized  with  solution  of  caus- 
*  See  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy,  pp.  310,  465  and  503. 
