452        Recent  Literature  Relating  to  Pharmacy.  {\epimbefSm' 
distended  with  gas,  and  rupture  of  the  digestive  system  may  result. 
Clots  of  blood  have  been  found  in  the  cerebellum.  The  first  symp- 
toms are  colicky  pains  with  abdominal  distension  ;  the  animal  paws, 
lies  down  and  rises  frequently,  and  shows  an  inclination  to  thrust  its 
head  into  corners.  It  may  lie  on  its  back  with  feet  doubled  up  and 
groan  with  pain.  Cold  sweats  occur,  breathing  becomes  thick  and 
labored,  and  there  are  frequent  attempts  at  micturition.  Urine  is 
voided  in  small  quantities.  The  remedy  is  puncturing  the  abdomen 
and  drawing  off  the  gases,  together  with  hot  fomentations  to  abdo- 
men and  loins,  and  the  administration  of  oil  and  hot-water  enemas. 
The  animal  may  finally  die  from  collapse. 
PECTIN  OF  GENTIAN. 
Bourquelot  and  Herissey  have  succeeded  in  isolating  the  pectin 
of  gentian.  They  exhaust  the  drug  with  alcohol,  removing  the 
alcohol  and  dissolving  the  residue  in  ten  times  its  volume  of  water 
in  an  autoclave  (no°).  The  pectin  is  obtained  from  the  latter  by 
precipitation  with  alcohol  containing  hydrochloric  acid.  The  pre- 
cipitate, purified  by  washing  with  alcohol  and  then  ether,  and  dried, 
is  soluble  I  part  in  100  of  water,  and  is  easily  oxidized  by  nitric 
acid  to  mucicacid. — Jour.  Pharm.  Chim.,  1898,  p.  8  ;  abs.  in  Pharm. 
Zeit.,  1898,  p.  339. 
Poisoning  by  Insect  Powder. — A  child,  eleven  months  old,  got  a  lot  of  the 
powder  in  the  mouth,  nose  and  eyes.  The  pulse  became  weak,  the  breathing 
reduced,  cramps  and  vomiting  were  produced.  The  child  recovered  upon  being 
given  an  emetic. — Apoth.  Zeit.,  1898,  p.  393. 
High  Specific  Gravity  of  Urine. — M.  D.  Hodge  reports  in  the  Virginia  Medi- 
cal Semi-monthly  (1898,  p.  99),  the  case  of  a  patient  whose  urine  had  a  specific 
gravity  of  ri2o.  The  amount  of  chlorides  was  3-9  per  cent,  by  weight.  On 
inquiry  it  was  found  that  the  woman  ate  largely  of  salt  pork,  ham,  mackerel 
and  seasoned  her  other  food  with  a  considerable  amount  of  salt.  She  rarely 
drank  water,  but  used  tea  and  coffee. 
Adulteration  of  Coffee  with  Sugar.— In  his  quarterly  report  to  the  Chester 
County  Council  the  public  analyst  states  that  he  examined  a  sample  of  coffee 
which  contained  an  excess  of  sugar.  This  he  said  was  due  to  a  practice  of  roast- 
ing coffee  with  a  certain  proportion  of  sugar,  which  would  increase  the  weight 
of  coffee  from  5  to  10  per  cent.  This  admixture  was  so  skillfully  done  that 
each  berry  was  coated  with  the  sugar,  and  any  one  buying  such  coffee  in  the 
berry  would  think  he  was  obtaining  it  pure.  It  was  an  innocent  and  at  the 
same  time  profitable  adulteration,  sugar  costing  a  penny  a  pound  was  sold  at 
the  rate  of  one  shilling  or  more.— Brit,  and  Col.  Drug.,  1898,  p.  739. 
