466 
Progress  in  Pharmacy. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\     October,  1913. 
the  authors  conclude  that  many  of  the  so-called  bromide  therapeutic 
effects  are  distinctly  chargeable  to  the  base  with  which  the  bromide 
has  been  combined. 
Calcium  Chloride. — Anon.  (Stiedd.  Apoth.  Ztg.,  1913,  v.  53,  p. 
261).  Attention  is  called  to  the  greatly  increasing  use  of  calcium 
chloride  bread  for  the  administration  of  calcium  chloride. 
Cannabis  Indica. — Anon.  (Suedd,  Apoth.  Ztg.,  191 3,  v.  53,  p. 
423).  The  Egyptian  Government  has  prohibited  the  importation 
of  cannabis -indica  and  is  taking  active  steps  to  prevent  smuggling 
of  this  narcotic. 
Coca. — Anon.  (Suedd,  Apoth.  Ztg.,  1913,  v.  53,  p.  367).  Peru 
has  long  since  lost  its  claim  as  the  home  of  erythroxylon  coca.  The 
plant  is  being  cultivated  in  many  of  the  other  South  .American 
countries,  Bolivia,  Ecuador,  Columbia,  and  also  Brazil.  It  is  also 
produced  in  quantities  in  the  West  Indies,  Java,  and  Ceylon.  Ac- 
cording to  recent  reports  the  Java  planters  are  to  undertake  the 
manufacture  of  crude  cocaine. 
Colocynth. — Roe,  R.  B.  (Pharm.  J.,  1913,  v.  90,  p.  800  [Lancet, 
May  31,  1913]),  reports  a  case  of  poisoning  by  colocynth  in  which 
a  woman  of  25  years  took  75  grains  of  powdered  colocynth. 
Vomiting  and  diarrhoea  were  the  principal  symptoms  during  the 
acute  period.  This  drug  appears  to  be  uncertain  in  its  action, 
the  smallest  fatal  dose  for  a  human  being  on  record  is  60  grains, 
but  recovery  is  recorded  to  have  taken  place  after  3  ounces. 
Diplosal. — Council  on  Pharmacy  and  Chemistry  of  the  A.  M.  A. 
(/.  Am.  Med.  Assoc.,  1913,  v.  61,  p.  121).  Diplosal  is  the  salicylic 
ester  of  salicylic  acid.  It  is  obtained  from  salicylic  acid  or  salicy- 
lates by  the  action  of  suitable  condensing  agents.  Diplosal  occurs 
as  a  white,  crystalline  powder,  practically  free  from  odor  and  taste. 
It  melts  at  147- 148 0  C.  It  is  almost  insoluble  in  water,  but  is 
easily  soluble  in  ether  and  benzene.  It  is  soluble  in  alkaline  solu- 
tions, with  formation  of  alkali  salicylate.  Diplosal  may  be  given 
in  single  doses  of  0.5  to  1  gm. 
{Diplosal ,  Toxicity  of. — MacLachlan,  John.  (/.  Am.  Med. 
Assoc.,  1913,  v.  61,  pp.  116-117),  reports  on  the  toxicity  of  diplosal. 
The  author  concludes  that  diplosal  is,  like  all  of  the  salicylates," 
toxic,  if  given  in  large  doses;  and  that  it  does  require  much  smaller 
doses  to  produce  the  toxic  effect. 
Emetine  Hydrochloride. — Council  on  Pharmacy  and  Chemistry 
of  the  A.  M.  A.    (/.  Am.  Med.  Assoc.,  1913,  v.  61,  p.  27),  emetine 
