Am.  Jour.  Pharm. ") 
March.  1913.  j 
Progress  in  Pharmacy. 
129 
Epinephrine  from  the  Whale. — An  editorial  (/.  Am.  M.  Assoc., 
1912,  v.  59,  p.  2263)  calls  attention  to  a  paper  by  Weidlein  on  the 
adrenal  glands  of  the  whale,  which  were  found  to  be  about  five 
hundred  times  as  large  as  the  corresponding  glands  of  sheep  and 
fifty  times  as  large  as  the  glands  from  cattle.  The  yield  of  epine- 
phrine is  proportional  to  that  hitherto  obtained  from  other  animals, 
so  that  as  much  as  1.2  gm.  of  the  typical  active  principle  has  been 
isolated  from  a  single  whale  adrenal  gland. 
Glycerin. — An  editorial  (Chem.  and  Drug.,  1912,  v.  81,  p.  752) 
states  that  the  chief  use  for  glycerin  is  in  the  manufacture  of 
dynamite  for  explosive  purposes.  x\mong  the  rapidly  developing 
uses  for  high  explosives  not  the  least  important  is  its  use  for 
ploughing. 
Glycotauro  is  the  name  applied  to  a  purified  ox  bile  standard- 
ized to  contain  50  per  cent,  of  bile  salts  free  from  bile  pigments. 
Each  1  gm.  represents  approximately  10  c.c.  of  fresh  ox  bile. 
Glycotauro  occurs  as  a  soft,  semi-solid  mass  of  light  brown  color, 
bile-like  odor  and  slightly  bitterish  taste.  It  is  readily  soluble  in 
water  and  in  alcohol.    (7.  Am.  Med.  Assoc.,  1912,  v.  59,  p.  2066.) 
Hediosit  is  the  lactone  or  inner  anhydride  of  alpha-glucoheptonic 
acid.  It  is  prepared  by  treating  glucose  with  hydrocyanic  acid  the 
condensation  product  being  treated  with  barium  hydroxide  and 
the  lactone  of  alpha-glucoheptonic  acid  liberated  by  the  addition 
of  sulphuric  acid.  Hediosit  is  a  white,  crystalline,  odorless  powder 
possessing  a  sweet  taste,  it  is  readily  soluble  in  water,  slightly 
soluble  in  alcohol  and  almost  insoluble  in  ether.  The  aqueous 
solution  is  acid  toward  litmus.  It  is  said  not  to  be  poisonous  and 
is  given  in  doses  of  from  10  to  30  gm.  (I.  Am.  M.  Assoc.,  1913, 
v.  60,  p.  516.) 
Heroin,  Facts  About. — An  editorial  (/.  Am.  M.  Assoc.,  1912, 
v-  59>  PP-  2262-226^)  points  out  that  although  heroin  and  its 
hydrochloride  have  been  in  use  but  a  few  years,  they  have  already 
established  themselves  among  the  habit  forming  drugs  and  have 
become  sufficiently  conspicuous  in  this  respect  to  awaken  the  think- 
ing public  to  the  deplorable  results  for  which  they  may  become 
responsible.  See  also  article  by  John  Philips,  Ibid.,  1912,  v.  59, 
pp.  2 1 46-2 1 47. 
Hexal  is  the  name  applied  to  hexamethylenamine  salicylsul- 
phonic  acid.  It  is  prepared  by  the  interaction  of  an  alcoholic 
solution  of  salicylsulphonic  acid  and  an  aqueous  solution  of  hexa- 
