Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Nov.,  18S6. 
Laboratory  Notes. 
539 
12  grains,  tannin  50  grains,  aromatic  powder  250  grains,  and  suffi- 
cient of  the  starch  excipient,  the  mass  divided  into  12  lozenges. 
Pepsin  and  Bismuth. — With  the  view  of  testing  the  asserted  in- 
compatibility of  pepsin  and  bismuth  salts,  Harry  K.  Kroh,  Ph.G.,  made 
a  number  of  experiments  regarding  the  digestive  action  of  pepsin  in 
the  presence  of  bismuth  salts.  The  ammonio-citrate  of  bismuth  is 
unsuited  for  preparing  clear  solutions  with  pepsin.  Bismuth  sub- 
nitrate  was  found  to  somewhat  retard,  but  not  otherwise  interfere 
with,  the  digestion  of  albumen  in  the  presence  of  hydrochloric  acid, 
added  in  the  usual  proportions.  Mixtures  of  1  pepsin,  10  bismuth 
subnitrate,  50  hard-boiled  albumen,  500  water  and  8  hydrochloric 
acid  left  only  3  parts  of  the  albumen  undissolved  at  the  time  when, 
in  the  control  experiment  without  bismuth  salt,  the  albumen  had 
been  completely  dissolved.  The  best  method  of  administering  the 
two  remedies  is  in  the  form  of  mixtures,  using  the  subnitrate  of  bis- 
muth and  directing  the  mixture  to  be  shaken. 
Cinchonidine  Sulphate. — Seven  samples  of  this  salt  were  examined 
by  Thos.  J.  Backes,  Ph.G.,  and  found  to  be  pure,  except  one,  which 
left  6*6  per  cent,  of  ash,  consisting  of  magnesium  compound.  The  loss 
of  water  by  exsiccation  at  100°  C,  varied  between  8*2  and  11  per  cent. 
Honey. — Chas.  S.  Commings,  Ph.  G.,  states  that  honey  gathered 
from  white  clover,  basswood  and  raspberry  is  of  a  light  color  and  has 
a  delicious  flavor ;  but  the  bees  will  not  gather  it  from  white  clover 
as  long  as  it  can  be  gotten  from  other  plants.  Considerable  honey  is 
also  found  in  the  blossoms  of  fruit  trees,  of  the  maple,  locust  and 
other  plants.  Buckwheat  honey  is  considered  inferior,  it  being  darker 
in  color  and  less  agreeable  in  flavor  than  that  procured  from  many 
other  plants. 
Honey  may  be  kept  from  crystallizing  or  candying  by  suspending 
the  vessel  containing  it  in  water,  applying  heat,  and  stirring  the  honey 
constantly,  until  the  water  is  heated  to  the  boiling  point,  when  the 
vessel  is  taken  from  the  fire,  the  scum  removed,  and,  after  cooling, 
the  honey  is  placed  in  jars  or  other  suitable  vessels,  tightly  covered 
and  kept  in  a  cool  cellar.  Treated  in  this  manner,  Mr.  Commings 
has  kept  honey  from  twelve  to  sixteen  months  without  crystallizing. 
Menthol  Pencils  cannot  be  made  with  the  addition  of  thymol, 
chloral  or  camphor,  all  of  which  cause  the  menthol  to  liquefy  at 
ordinary  temperatures,  producing,  even  on  the  addition  of  an  equal 
bulk  of  spermaceti,  a  mass  too  soft  for  compression  into  a  definite 
