346  Abstracts  from  the  French  Journals.     {^"^  /uu-'im''"' 
excellent  calmative  for  the  phenomena  of  motor  excitation — superior 
in  this  respect  to  acetanilide.  It  brings  about  a  very  rapid  disappear- 
ance  of  the  tremors  of  lamellated  sclerosis^  and  controls  exaggerated 
reflexes,  and  epileptoid  trepidation.  It  appears  to  act  with  most  cer- 
tainty in  cases  of  sensitive  or  motor  phenomena  dependent  upon  ana- 
tomical alterations.  Judging  from  the  cases  cited  by  Dr.  Sarda,  an 
average  amount  to  give  per  diem  of  acetanilide  would  be  2  gm.;  and 
of  antipyrine  3  gm.  (he  calls  4  gm.  an  elevated  dose).  The  average 
quantity  of  solaninetobe  taken  daily  is  distinctly  stated  to  be  25  or  30 
cgm.  Toleration,  he  says,  is  perfect.  Bull.  gen.  de  therap.,  May  30^ 
1888. 
Meco-narceine. — At  the  Acad,  de  M^d.,  May  29,  Laborde  stated 
in  his  own  name,  and  that  of  Duquesnel,  that  they  have  obtained 
from  morphine  a  pure,  true,  crystallized  narceine,  and  an  amorphous 
product  wholly  disconnected  from  morphine  and  the  spasmodic  alka- 
loids. Constantin  Paul  remarked  that  narceine  exists  only  in  minute 
quantities  in  opium,  that  it  is  almost  inert,  and  that  it  does  not  be- 
come active  except  it  be  associated  with  other  alkaloids  of  opium  still 
undetermined. — Le  Prog,  m^d.,  June  2,  1888. 
Tartrate  and  Salicylate  of  Quinoline  are  recommended  by 
Skraup  ( Grior,  di  farm,  sper.),  as  being  excellent  for  surgical  dress- 
ings on  account  of  their  great  antiseptic  powers  and  easy  solubility. 
The  author  says  that  the  solutions  are  more  active  than  those  of  zinc, 
silver  or  permanganate  of  potash.  His  formula  for  a  gargle  is  :  Quin- 
oline,  1  gm. ;  alcohol,  90  per  cent.,  50  gra. ;  aqua  menth.,  500  gm. ; 
ol.  menth.,  gtt  2.  An  injection  for  blenorrhagia  is  as  follows :  Quino- 
line  tartrat.,  1  gm.;  aq.  dest.,  150  gm. — Nouv.  Rein.,  May  24,  1888. 
Helleborein  as  a  Local  Anesthetic.  As  a  result  of  experi- 
ments with  animals,  Yenturini  and  Gasparini  conclude  that  greatly 
diluted  solutions  of  helleborein  induce  complete  corneal  anaesthesia 
without  irritations  of  any  kind.  The  effect  of  a  single  application  con- 
tinued undiminished  for  half  an  hour;  three  light  applications  pro- 
duced anaesthesia  lasting  for  twenty-four  houi's ;  three  or  four  drops  of 
a  solution  containing  J  mgm.  to  each  drop,  caused  corneal  anaesthesia 
in  dogs  to  such  a  degree  that  perforation  with  pins  was  made  within 
fifteen  minutes  and  caused  no  expression  of  pain.  It  is  to  be  noted 
that  the  authors  refer  to  "  a  very  energetic  cardo-toxic  action  "  as  be- 
