Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
July,  1886. 
Varieties. 
357 
VARIETIES. 
Lakge  Doses  of  Strychnine  have  been  given  by  Dr.  Lardier  (Jour.  Med.  Chir. 
prat.)  in  the  treatment  of  delirium  tremens.  In  one  case  '005  gm.  (gr.  fa)  of 
strychnine,  given  every  two  hours  for  several  days,  produced  litlle  or  no  effect ; 
but,  on  increasing  the  dose,  and  using  the  alkaloid  also  hypodermically,  until 
0*10  gm.  (gr.  1|)  had  been  given  in  twenty-four  hours,  refreshing  sleep  was  pro- 
duced without  any  symptoms  of  strychnine  poisoning. 
Scopoleine  as  a  Mydriatic. — Pierd'»Houy  describes  the  alkaloid  of  Scopolia 
japonica,  and  claims  for  it  a  stronger  mydriatic  action  than  is  obtainable  from 
.atropine.  Clinically  the  use  of  the  drug  was  found  to  be  exempt  from  the  dis- 
comforts observed  in  the  exhibition  of  atropine.  Its  action  is  described  as  being 
very  rapid,  and,  therefore,  adapted  to  cases  in  which  an  immediate  ophthalmo- 
scopic examination  is  desirable. — Les  Nouv.  Remedies,  Feb.  1,  1886 ;  Med.  News, 
April  3. 
Hydeobromate  opConiine. — The  variations  in  the  quality  of  curare,  and  the 
consequent  difficulty  of  adjusting  the  dose,  have  led  Schulz  and  Peiper  (Arch, 
f.  exp.  Pathol,  u.  Pharm.,  xx.)  to  experiment  with  hydrobromate  of  coniine  as 
a  substitute  in  the  treatment  of  tetanus,  rabies,  and  the  like.  Thus  far,  they 
have  tried  it  only  on  animals  tetanized  with  brucine,  and  they  find  that, 
whether  given  before  or  after  the  brucine,  it  has  a  decided  effect  in  mitigating 
the  convulsions,  and  especially  that  it  relieves  the  breathing. — N.  Y.  Med.  Jour., 
May  1, 1886. 
Tablets  of  Nitro-glycerin. — Among  the  errors  of  the  last  British  Pharm- 
acopoeia, the  ordering  of  nitro-glycerin  to  be  dispensed  in  chocolate  tablets  is 
perhaps  the  worst.  Not  only  is  the  dosage  uncertain,  and  the  manipulation 
required  dangerous,  but  this  method  of  administration  is  slower  in  action  and 
-exceedingly  expensive;  in  fact,  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  why  the  compilers 
should  have  gone  out  of  their  way  to  choose  so  inconvenient  and  impractica- 
ble a  vehicle,  when  the  one  per  cent,  solution  of  the  drug,  which  has  been  in 
general  use  for  a  considerable  period,  was  open  to  them.  It  is  stable,  easily 
gauged,  of  prompt  action,  and  has,  in  fact,  all  the  merits  which  are  conspicuous 
"by  their  absence  in  the  present  formula.  The  tablets  in  question  are  not 
stamped,  and  bear  no  indication  of  their  nature  and  strength,  and  mistakes 
which  might  be  dangerous  in  their  results  may  easily  occur. — Med.  Press. 
AMERICAN  PHARMACEUTICAL  ASSOCIATION. 
The  Thirty-Fourth  Annual  Meeting  will  convene  in  the  city  of  Providence, 
Pv.  I.,  on  the  first  Tuesday,  the  7th  of  September,  1886,  at  3  o'clock,  p.m.  All 
local  Associations  of  Pharmacists  are  entitled  to  accredit  five  delegates,  and 
should  send  the  credentials  to  the  Permanent  Secretary — John  M.  Maisch— at 
least  two  weeks  in  advance  of  the  meeting.  Delegations  from  Colleges  of 
Pharmacy  and  State  Pharmaceutical  Associations,  may  appoint  one  of  their 
number  to  serve  on  the  Nominating  Committee  ;  considerable  time  would  be 
saved  if  these  appointments  were  communicated  to  the  Permanent  Secretary, 
-during  the  morning  preceding  the  first  session. 
Applications  for  membership,  accompanied  by  the  fees,  should  be  sent  as 
