272 
Varieties. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
May,  1886. 
VARIETIES. 
A  Novel  Anticoagulant. — Prof.  Zunz  has  presented  before  the  Berlin 
Physiological  Society  an  ingenious  method  of  retarding  the  coagulation  of 
blood  in  the  course  of  experiments  upon  blood-pressure.  It  had  been  shown 
that  the  cause  of  the  frequent  persistent  bleeding-seen  after  the  application  of 
leeches  is  due  to  the  presence  of  a  soluble  ferment  in  the  animal.  Zunz  has 
found  that  an  aqueous  extract  of  the  heads  of  leeches,  injected  into  the  blood 
stream,  not  only  prevented  any  interruption  of  the  experiment  through  coagu- 
lation, but  in  no  wise  influenced  blood-pressure. — Med.  News,  March  27, 1886. 
Chloropeptonate  of  Iron. — The  Bulletin  General  de  Therapeutique  describes 
Dr.  Jaillet's  experiments  which  have  led  him  to  prescribe  and  recommend  the 
use  of  chloropeptonate  of  iron  by  hypodermic,  rectal,  and  intravenous  in- 
jection, and  by  ingestion.  The  compound  enters  the  circulatory  system  and  is 
absorbed  into  the  blood.  Chloropeptonate  of  iron  is  a  chemical  combination 
of  peptone  and  iron  perchloride,  which  does  not  undergo  any  change  from  the 
gastric  juice,  nor  from  the  alkalies  of  the  blood.  It  is  absorbed  and  assimilated 
just  as  it  is  administered,  and  produces,  in  consequence,  a  higher  temperature, 
increased  disassimilation,  and  more  copious  excretions.  The  appetite  increases, 
and  the  patient  grows  thinner,  but  the  physiological  qualities  of  the  blood  im- 
prove.—Med.  Times,  March  20,  1886. 
Unusual  Susceptibility  to  Morphia. — Dr.  William  G.  Eggleston,  of  Chi- 
cago, 111.,  reports  a  case  in  the  Jour.  Amer.  Med.  Assoc.,  April  10th,  1886,  which 
is  interesting  on  account  of  the  facts  that  the  drug  acted  in  a  remarkably 
short  time,  and  that  at  times  there  was  no  appreciable  interval  between  the 
anodyne  and  hypnotic  effects.  On  March  13th,  at  8  P.  M.,  I  was  called  to  see 
A.  F.  H.,  set.  4A,  who  was  suffering  from  a  very  severe  attack  of  sciatica  on  the 
right  side.  I  administered  morphia,  gr.  |  with  gr.  of  atropia.  While  replac- 
ing my  syringe  in  the  case  the  patient  threw  his  arms  across  his  chest,  said 
"All  right,"  and  was  asleep  immediately.  This  was  just  four  minutes  after  the 
injection  was  made.  Being  somewhat  alarmed  at  such  unusual  susceptibility, 
I  aroused  the  patient  and  spoke  to  him.  I  had  no  difficulty  in  awakening 
him,  and  he  seemed  surprised  that  I  had  aroused  him.  He  said  that  the  drug 
had  had  a  similar  effect  two  or  three  years  ago,  when  he  had  taken  it,  and  his 
wife  confirmed  his  statement,  Upon  ihis  information  I  determined  to  set 
aside  my  proposed  treatment  of  the  case  with  injections  of  ether,  and  to  use 
morphia,  with  cod-liver  oil  and  phosphorous  internally.  March  14th,  I  ad- 
ministered gr.  \  morphia,  with  gr.  ^wu  of  atropia,  at  9  A.  M.  The  patient  had 
slept  well  the  night  before  until  about  3.30  A  M.,  after  which  the  pain  began 
to  return  slowly.  The  injections  were  made  superficially  behind  the  right 
trochanter  on  the  affected  side.  Within  three  minutes  the  patient  announced 
that  he  ''felt  it"  in  his  arms — "a  kind  of  numb  feeling  down  through  the 
elbows."  Within  another  minute  he  said  that  he  was  perfectly  easy.  This 
time,  however,  he  did  not  fall  asleep.  Another  injection  wTas  made  in  the 
evening,  the  pain  being  annoying,  but  not  &o  great  as  on  the  previous  after- 
noon. Within  a  few  seconds  less  than  four  minutes  he  began  to  say  that  he 
felt  better,  but  was  asleep  before  the  sentence  was  completed.  In  the  morning 
he  had  commenced  taking  teaspoonful  doses  of  cod-liver  oil  and  phosphorous 
(gr.  i— f  3  jss).— Virg.  Med.  Monthly,  May,  1886. 
