'^"'■jan.^im'''^'}     Abstracts  from  the  French  Journals.  13 
Eech.  sur  Fact.  phys.  de  meth.,  Montpellier^  1887  ;  Le  Prog,  med.^ 
October  29. 
Iodoform  Deodorized. — In  the  Bull.  gen.  de  Therap.,  November 
15,  1887,  Mr.  Cantrelle,  pharmacist,  after  remarking  that  all  of  the 
substances  used  for  the  purpose  indicated  have  proved  valueless,  re- 
commends the  following  :  iodoform,  1  gm. ;  menthol,  5  cgm. ;  oil  of 
lavender  (fine),  1  drop.  The  writer  states  that  in  this  mixture  the 
odor  of  iodoform  will  remain  masked  as  long  as  the  dressing  remains 
in  use. 
Chloral  and  Iodofor^i  :  Their  Action  upon  Certain  Mel- 
CURIC  Salts. — In  a  paper  thus  entitled  (Jour,  de  Ph.  et  .de  Ch.,  De- 
cember 1,  1887),  Mr.  S.  Cotton  arrives  at  the  following  conclusions: 
1 .  Chloral  reduces  the  mercuric  acetate  with  the  liberation  of  car- 
bonic acid  and  the  foruiation  of  mercurous  acetate.  2.  Chloral  re- 
duces the  mercuric  nitrate  and  liberates  carbonic  acid,  forming  calomel. 
3.  Iodoform  reduces  the  mercuric  acetate  with  the  disengagement  of 
carbonic  acid  and  the  formation  of  mercurous  acetate,  precisely  as 
with  chloral.  4.  Iodoform  does  not  reduce  the  mercuric  nitrate ;  its 
action  is  limited  to  the  formation  of  the  corresjoonding  iodide.  5. 
Chloroform  and  bromoform  do  not  act  upon  these  salts. 
Hydrocyanate  of  Chloral. — This  preparation  is  proposed  by 
Hermes  to  replace  the  uncertain  mixtures  known  as  aqua  lauro- 
cerasi,  aqua  amygd.  amar.,  and  their  analogues.  The  physiological 
action  of  hydrocyanate  of  chloral  is  thought  by  Pinner  and  BischoflP 
to  be  the  same  as  that  of  pure  hydrocyanic  acid ;  the  formula  pre- 
f  OH 
sented  is   CCP — CH  <  The  aqueous  solutiou  gives  pulveru- 
lent crystals  forming  in  rhombs  or  prisms.  It  is  readily  soluble  in 
water,  alcohol  and  ether.  With  the  vapor  of  water  it  volatilizes 
slightly,  and  decomposes  into  chloral  and  hydrocyanic  acid.  Alkalis 
also  decompose  it,  w^ith  a  reproduction  of  hydrocyanic  acid.  It  is 
very  stable.  One  part  of  anhydrous  hydrocyanic  acid  is  equal  to  6 '46 
of  hydrocyanate  of  chloral.  To  obtain  a  solution  of  equal  activity  to 
aq.  dest.  amygd.  amar.,  6  cgm.  hydrocyanate  of  chloral  is  dissolved 
in  10  gm.  of  water. — Ph.  Cent,  Arch,  de  Phar.,  Dec.  5,  1887. 
Eeaction  of  Cotton-Seed  Oil. — Treated  with  subacetate  of 
lead  and  a  caustic  alkali,  cotton-seed  oil  gives,  almost  immediately,  an 
orange-red  reaction.  This,  according  to  Mr.  Labiche,  a  French  phar- 
macist, is  peculiar  to  this  oil,  for  almond,  castor,  olive,  poppy,  rape 
