Am.  Jour.  Pharni. 
Dec,  1886. 
On  some  new  Hypnotics. 
607 
produce  a  precipitate  apparently  albuminous,  when  nitric  acid  affords 
no  such  indication. 
Some  tests  are  especially  portable,  and  capable  of  application  without 
the  use  of  cumbrous  apparatus ;  and  each  test  has  an  usefulness  of  its 
own.  The  committee  consider  that  any  one  devoting  himself  to  the 
thorough  use  of  one  of  the  tests,  will  find  it  sufficiently  precise  for  all 
practical  needs,  and  that,  by  comparative  use  of  several  tests,  the  dis- 
crimination of  differing  forms  of  proteids  may  be  obtained.  The  pic- 
ric acid  test,  which  admirably  detects  albumin  and  peptones,  if  boiled 
with  caustic  potash,  detects,  also,  the  presence  of  sugar.  The  commit- 
tee lastly  note  that  the  knowledge  of  the  reactions  of  albumins  is  at 
present  imperfect,  and,  possibly,  capable  of  improvement.  But  to  the 
settlement  of  this  question  their  functions  did  not  extend. — Brit.  Med,. 
Jour.,  June  26, 1886. 
ON  SOME  NEW  HYPNOTICS. 
By  Dr.  S.  G.  Webber. 
Several  drugs  have  been  lately  given  to  the  profession  with  the 
claim  that  they  are  valuable  hypnotics.  I  have  had  an  opportunity  of 
testing  these  in  the  cases  of  many  patients  in  the  Adams'  Nervine 
Asylum. 
Paraldehyde  has  been  some  years  in  use.  It  has  advantages  over 
chloral.  The  immediate  subsequent  effects  are  less  unpleasant.  It 
very  rarely  causes  headache  on  the  next  day  ;  sometimes  patients  have 
a  sensation  of  fulness  or  pressure  in  the  head  for  a  few  hours  after 
waking.  I  gave  it  in  one  case  where  the  patient  had  been  taking 
chloral  in  large  doses,  not  measuring  the  dose,  and  had  been  injuri- 
ously affected  by  the  drug.  The  paraldehyde  gave,  in  this  instance^ 
better  and  more  prolonged  rest ;  the  patient  partially  recovered  his 
mental  powers  and  some  measure  of  strength.  The  paraldehyde  was 
continued  several  weeks  in  nightly  doses  of  forty  minims.  In  this 
patient  there  was  probably  disseminated  sclerosis,  and  it  did  not  seem 
possible  to  do  without  some  agent  to  produce  sleep,  at  least  so  long  as 
he  was  at  home. 
The  chief  objection  to  paraldehyde  is  its  disagreeable  odor  and  taste, 
and  also  the  odor  it  imparts  to  the  breath.  I  do  not  remember  to 
have  met  any  unpleasant  symptoms  arising  from  its  use ;  but  had 
never  seen  a  case  in  which  it  has  been  used  habitually  for  a  longtime. 
