610  Abstracts  from  the  French  Journals.     {^'"  octlaSs*''"' 
ABSTRACTS  FROM  THE  FRENCH  JOURNALS. 
Translated  for  the  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy. 
Cresylic  Acid  or  Cresylol. — According  to  recent  studies  by 
Dr.  Henri  Delplanque  {Bull.  gen.  de  tMrap.,  Aug.  15,  1888),  this 
substance  is  superior  to  phenol  as  an  antiseptic,  while  it  is  75  per  cent, 
less  toxic  to  animals.  The  author's  experiments  were  made  by  means 
of  cultures  of  the  bacilli  of  the  principal  zymotic  diseases. 
Sterilization  of  Medicinal  Solutions. — M.  Gaquemaire  finds 
that  when  certain  saline  solutions  are  made  in  carbonic  acid  water  with 
a  pressure  of  4  or  5  atmospheres,  they  will  remain  free,  for  a  consid- 
erable time,  from  the  cryptogamic  vegetations  which  pharmacists  find 
so  undesirable.  To  the  possible  objection  that  the  constant  uncorking 
of  the  bottle  in  dispensing  permits  the  gas  to  go  off,  the  author  says 
that  the  liquid  will  continue  to  retain  one  volume  of  the  gas,  and,  as 
a  matter  of  fact,  an  excess  of  it  is  always  found  in  the  last  dose  taken 
from  the  bottle. — Bull.  gen.  de  tMrap.,  Aug.  15  ,  1888. 
Camphorated  Naphthol. — M.  Desequelle  {Arch,  de  Pharm., 
Sept.  5,  1888),  finds  that  a  mixture  of  /5  naphthol,  10  gm.,  and  camphor 
20  gm.,  finely  pulverized,  has  identical  properties  with  camphorated 
phenol.  The  product  is  a  colorless  syrupy  liquid,  insoluble  in  water, 
and  miscible  in  all  proportions  with  fixed  oils.  Its  antiseptic  proper- 
ties are  superior  to  those  of  phenol,  and — according  to  Prof.  Bouchard's 
experiments — it  is  less  toxic.  Does  it  hold  its  antiseptic  properties  ? 
If  so,  this  mixture  should,  for  surgical  uses  replace  the  phenol  com- 
pound. 
CoNSTANTiN  Paul's  Saccharin  Liquor  is  said  to  have  been 
adopted  by  several  of  the  Paris  pharmacists.  The  formula  is : 
Saccharin,  6  gm. ;  bicarb,  soda,  4  gm. ;  alcohol  at  40°,  100  gm. ;  ol. 
menth.,  20  drops;  a  teaspoonful  represents  25  cgm.  of  saccharin — 
sufficient  to  sweeten  a  tumbler  of  water.  (See  also  Elixir  Saocharini, 
page  516. 
Application  for  Pediculi  Pubis. — The  following  formula, 
originally  published  in  the  Pratique  med.,  is  recommended  in  the 
French  journals,  to  replace  mercury  ointments  for  the  above  purpose  : 
Petroleum,  15  gm. ;  balsam  of  Peru,  15  gm. ;  oil  of  laurel,  1  gm. 
An  Artificial  Gum  Arabic,  says  the  Reme  scientifique,  may  be 
made  by  boiling  20  parts  of  sugar  with  7  parts  of  fresh  milk,  adding 
