288 
Prog?'ess  in  Pharmacy. 
<  Am.  Jour.  Pharu  . 
\       June,  1E05. 
a  number  of  samples  o'  solution  of  formaldehyde,  comparing  them 
with  the  requirements  of  the  new  Russian  Pharmacopoeia.  He  finds 
that  solutions  having  a  neutral  or  only  slightly  acid  reaction  are  not 
to  be  had  and  believes  that  0-23  per  cent,  of  formic  acid  is  permis- 
sible. Schulz  was  not  able  to  find  a  sample  containing  40  per  cent, 
of  formaldehyde,  and  believes  that  35  per  cent,  would  be  a  more 
reasonable  requirement.  All  of  the  samples  examined  by  him  con- 
tained an  appreciable  amount  of  ash,  in  several  cases  as  much  as 
1-5  milligrammes  in  I  c.c.  of  the  solution.  (Chem.  Zeitg.  Rept.,  1905, 
page  105.) 
Lycopodium. — G.  Weigel  (Phar.  Centrh.,  1905,  page  208)  refers 
to  several  of  the  constantly  recurring  adulterations  of  lycopodium, 
and  asserts  that  pine  pollen  is,  in  some  parts  of  Europe,  a  well- 
established  substitute  for  lycopodium.  It  is  known  as  Austrian  or 
Hungarian  lycopodium,  and  is  gathered  and  sold  in  considerable 
quantities.  In  addition  to  its  sale  as  a  distinctive  commercial  article, 
it  has  been  used  quite  extensively  as  an  adulterant  of  true  lycopo- 
dium. Starch  and  talcum  are  also  mentioned  as  having  been  found 
as  adulterants  in  lycopodium.  Weigel  also  mentions  another,  to 
him,  novel  adulterant  that  appears  to  have  many  of  the  physical 
characteristics  of  true  lycopodium.  This  substance  has  been  more 
carefully  studied  by  Dr.  Van  Italie,  who  has  discovered  this  adul- 
terant to  be  powdered  amber,  colored  possibly  with  some  coal-tar 
dye.  The  most  satisfactory  method  for  detecting  this  rather  novel 
adulterant  is  by  means  of  the  microscope,  which,  owing  to  the  want 
of  structural  detail  in  the  powdered  amber,  readily  differentiates 
between  it  and  the  characteristic  shape  and  markings  of  the  sporules 
of  lycopodium. 
A  New  Reaction  for  Sugar  of  Milk. — If  a  solution  of  0-5  gramme 
of  sugar  of  milk  in  10  c.c.  of  water  of  ammonia  is  carefully  heated 
to  such  a  point  that  ammonia  is  vaporized  without  boiling,  the  solu- 
tion will,  in  the  course  of  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  become  dark 
red.  Solutions  of  different  varieties  of  other  sugars  become  yellow 
on  heating  with  ammonia.    {Phar.  Centrh.}  1905,  page  274.) 
Maximal  dose  of  adrenalin  and  analogous  preparations  of  the  supra- 
renal capsules  has  been  established  by  B.  Muller,  who  recommends 
that  doses  of  0-00009  should  not  be  exceeded.  This  quantity  may 
be  increased  to  0-00015  in  cases  where  the  patient  is  under  the  influ- 
ence of  an  anaesthetic  without  producing  untoward  results.  [Zeits. 
d.  All.  Oest.  Apoth.  Ver.,  1905,  page  325.) 
