vi 
Notes  and  News. 
( Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
I  November,  1398. 
Bacteriological  experiments  showed  that  with  quinoral  bacteria  were  more 
rapidly  killed  than  with  sublimate.  It  is  employed  in  doses  of  0*05  to  i*o 
gramme  ;  it  acts  as  a  hypnotic,  especially  in  delirium  tremens  in  larger  doses. 
—Zeitsch.  d.  Allg.  Oest.  Apoth.  Ver.,  1898,  p.  754. 
Parasitism. — Ribbert  compares  neoplasms  to  parasites,  rinding  strong 
analogy  in  the  growth  of  the  former,  their  independent  character,  and  in  the 
manner  in  which  metasis  develops.  Tumors,  according  to  him,  always  grow 
through  a  proliferation  of  their  own  cells  and  displace  and  invade  the  neigh- 
boring structures  wuthout  transforming  them  into  neoplastic  tissue.  —  Vniv. 
Med.  Mag.,  1898,  p.  554;  from  Deutsche  Med.  Wochenschr. ,  March  17,  1898. 
Bacteria  in  Holy  Water. — A  continental  bacteriologist  has  found  in  the  holv  . 
water  in  use  in  one  of  the  most  popular  churches  of  Sassari  not  only  staphy- 
lococci and  streptococci,  but  also  the  bacillus  of  diphtheria  and  colon-bacilli, 
wThich  frequently  produce  appendicitis.  The  presence  of  the  diphtheria 
bacillus  is  supposed  to  be  due  to  the  custom  of  the  worshippers  touching  their 
lips  as  well  as  other  parts  of  the  face  wdth  the  consecrated  water. — Chem.  and 
Drug.,  1898,  p.  337. 
The  Toxic  Ptomaines  of  Preserved  Meat,  when  found  in  hams,  game  pies, 
etc.,  are  due,  according  to  Van  Ermenglin  {Jour.  Pharm.  Chem.,  1898,  p.  88),  to 
the  presence  of  a  specific  organism,  Bacillus  bolulinus.  The  soluble  toxin 
(boluline)  is  extremely  potent:  Part  °f  a  milligramme  killed  a  rabbit  in 
twenty-four  hours.  Fortunately,  however,  this  ptomaine  is  destroyed  at  a  tem- 
perature of  6oc-7o°  C,  and  the  bacillus  which  produces  it  at  850  C,  so  that 
thorough  cooking  will  remove  all  dangers  in  the  case  of  salted  or  smoked  meats. 
— Pharm.  Jour.,  1898,  p.  217. 
Doctors  Dispensing. — The  medical  syndicate  of  Ronbaix  has  addressed  a 
circular  letter  {Chem.  and  Drug.,  1898,  p.  148)  to  the  new  Chamber  of  Depu- 
ties in  which  they  ask  the  Deputies,  when  discussing  the  new  Pharmacy  Bill,  to 
introduce  a  clause  specifying  that  the  holder  of  a  double  diploma  must  decide 
which  profession  he  will  exercise.  It  is  pointed  out  that  where  medicine  is 
prescribed  and  dispensed  by  the  same  person,  no  written  prescription  is  neces- 
sary, and  in  a  poisoning  case  it  would  be  very  difficult  to  get  at  the  real  facts. 
Again  in  many  cases  the  pharmacist,  by  pointing  out  a  slip  of  the  pen  of  the 
doctor,  may  avoid  fatal  consequences. 
Birch  Leaves  as  a  Diuretic. — Huchard  confirms  the  statement  of  Winternitz 
that  a  decoction  of  birch  leaves  acts  as  a  useful  diuretic.  In  order  to  render 
the  resinous  matter  soluble,  Moreau  recommends  the  use  of  a  little  sodium 
bicarbonate.  The  decoction  is  made  thus  :  From  10  to  15  grammes  of  the 
leaves  are  boiled  in  1,000  c.c.  of  water,  then  cooled  to  300  or  400  C.  and  1 
gramme  sodium  bicarbonate  is  added.  Instead  of  this  decoction,  an  extract, 
made  by  percolation  with  alcohol  from  the  leaves  gathered  from  the  flowering 
tree,  is  given  in  pills  in  a  daily  dose  of  r6  to  2-4  grammes. — Pharm.  Jour.,  1S98, 
p.  237;  from  Rep.  de  Pharm.,  X,  24,  after  Jour,  des  Pract. 
Gonococcus  Culture  and  Toxin. — A.  Wasserman  has  directed  his  attention 
to  a  study  of  the  toxic  effects  of  this  micro-organism.  The  gonococcus  is  patho- 
genic for  mice,  etc.,  but  does  not  cause  infectious,  only  an  intoxication.  The 
