^cto^er,  1913™*}    British  Pharmaceutical  Conference.  483 
solutions  made  from  it  are  very  stable,  and  an  exact  volumetric 
solution  can  be  prepared  from  the  pure  dry  salt  without  further 
standardizing.  Considerable  data  are  given  whereby  this  method 
was  used  for  the  determination  of  the  various  hypophosphites. 
A  Note  on  the  Alleged  Poisonous  Properties  of  Honey  from 
Datura  Stramonium. 
By  B.  H.  Deane. 
The  author  shows  in  an  interesting  manner  how  the  statement 
that  honey  from  Datura  Stramonium  is  poisonous  became  em- 
bodied in  the  literature  relating  to  honey.  It  appears  that  a  Consul 
at  Trebizonde  in  a  report  to  his  government  makes  the  statement 
that  honey  from  that  section  of  the  world  is  unfit  for  food — in  fact, 
poisonous  and  that  the  poisonous  principle  contained  therein  is 
from  the  flowers  of  Datura  Stramonium.  Mr.  Deane  shows  that 
this  is  impossible  because  the  structure  of  the  flower  of  this  plant 
makes  it  impossible  for  bees  to  visit  it.  He  also  makes  the  ob- 
servation that  it  does  not  necessarily  follow  that  because  other 
parts  of  the  plant  are  poisonous  the  nectar  secreted  by  the  flowers 
is  likewise.  It  is  known  that  honey  bees  visit  the  flowers  of  Atropa 
Belladonna,  yet  no  bad  effects  have  ever  been  attributed  to  such 
honey. 
The  Composition  of  Certain  Formates. 
By  C.  H.  Hampshire  and  W.  R.  Pratt. 
The  writers  give  the  result  of  a  very  careful  and  comprehensive 
investigation  of  commercial  specimens  of  the  principal  formates. 
They  give  in  detail  the  analytical  methods  used  to  determine  the 
exact  composition  of  sodium,  ferric,  magnesium,  calcium,  quinine, 
and  strychnine  formate. 
Note  on  Sodium  Thiosulphate  Solutions. 
By  C.  H.  Hampshire  and  W.  R.  Pratt. 
Having  need  in  the  course  of  some  chemical  examinations  to 
make  titrations  with  sodium  thiosulphate  solutions  the  authors  re- 
standardized  them  each  time  before  use.  They  noticed,  however, 
that  standard   solutions   of    decinormal    strength    remained  un- 
