536  Gleanings  from  the  European  Journals.  {AMDecUi;?873BM" 
low  400°,  and  of  course  will  not  turn  rancid.  Its  odor  is  rather 
stronger  than  cosmolin  ;  the  color  is  somewhat  different,  though  this 
is  most  probably  due  to  using  pure  paraffin,  as  some  of  the  impure 
grades  have  the  same  peculiar  amber  color  as  cosmolin.  Both  prepa- 
rations when  burned  emit  the  characteristic  smell  of  coal  oil,  and  give 
off  a  copious  black  smoke  ;  ignited  drops  of  both  fall  down  with  a 
peculiar  hissing  sound.  The  chief  difference  appears  to  be  in  the 
mode  of  preparation,  as  the  manufacturers  of  cosmolin  claim  to  use 
no  chemicals,  while  it  is  well  known  that  both  paraffin  and  the  heavy- 
oils  are  purified  by  sulphuric  acid  and  soda.  Still,  as  the  compound 
which  maybe  appropriately  called  "paraffin  ointment"  was  boiled 
in  distilled  water  without  making  it  either  acid  or  alkaline,  the  much- 
dreaded  chemicals  have  evidently  been  completely  removed. 
Cosmolin  is  vended  at  the  somewhat  exorbitant  price  of  $1  per  lb., 
while  paraffin  ointment  can  be  sold  at  a  very  fair  profit  for  one  fourth 
of  that  price. 
The  above  formula  for  this  substitute  for  cosmolin  is  not  offered  as 
the  best  that  may  be  devised,  but  only  for  the  purpose  of  directing 
inquiry  to  this  subject.  The  varieties  of  heavy  coal  oils  in  the  mar- 
ket are  so  numerous  that  it  becomes  a  tedious  task  to  examine  them 
all.  We  were  in  fact  promised  a  sample  of  a  purified  paraffin  oil 
made  in  Boston,  which  was  represented  as  being  almost  identical  with 
cosmolin,  but  it  has  not  as  yet  arrived. 
In  conclusion  we  would  state  that  cosmolin  does  not  appear  to  be 
so  entirely  free  from  all  irritating  properties  as  it  is  claimed  to  be. 
A  case  has  been  communicated  to  us  by  Dr.  Louis  G.  Bauer,  one  of 
our  members,  in  which  he  applied  it  for  an  aggravated  and  obstinate 
form  of  eczema,  occurring  on  the  upper  lip.  It  was  productive  of  a 
high  degree  of  inflammation  and  considerable  tumefaction,  although 
citrine  ointment  and  similar  preparations  had  been  previously  employed 
without  such  results. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  EUROPEAN  JOURNALS. 
By  the  Editor. 
Tartaric  acid  in  purgative  solutions  of  magnesia. — E.  Leger  pro- 
poses to  convert  tartaric  into  metatartaric  acid  by  heating  it  to  170° 
C.  (338°  F.),  when  it  readily  fuses,  loses  its  property  to  crystallize 
and  forms  with  magnesia  a  very  soluble  salt.  This  salt  has  no  un- 
pleasant taste,  and  is  more  energetic  and  reliable  in  its  purgative  ac- 
