^68  Review  of  Advances  in  Pharmacy.    {Am  jour.  Pharm. 
Juu  J  J        (      June,  1919. 
mono-ethyl  and  di-ethyl  and  benzoyl  groups.  The  pharmacologic 
action  of  Allocaine  S.  has  been  studied  by  Kubota,  of  Mukden, 
Japan.  He  observed  that  it  causes  paralysis  in  frogs  and  convul^ 
sions  in  rabbits,  acting  on  the  central  nervous  system.  The  lethal 
dose,  he  says,  is  smaller  than  that  of  either  cocaine  and  procaine, 
when  injected  subcutaneously.  It  causes  a  local  paralysis  of  sensory 
nerve  endings  and  nerve  fibers,  and  its  anesthetic  power  is  stronger 
than  procaine  and  weaker  than  cocaine.  Kubota  noticed  that  Allo- 
caine S.  has  a  twTof  old  action  on  blood  vessels :  a  primary  dilation 
and  a  secondary  constriction,  and  in  warm-blooded  animals  the 
former  action,  and  in  cold-blooded  the  latter  appears  more  pro- 
nounced. A  slight  local  irritation  is  caused  by  subcutaneous  injec- 
tions. Large  doses  of  the  drug  paralyzes  the  heart,  acting  on  the 
motor  apparatus  and  conductive  system,  and  causes  in  frogs  a 
paralysis  of  respiration  and  in  rabbits  a  stimulation  of  it ;  this  action 
seems  to  be  the  central  character.  It  also  has  an  influence  on  the 
blood  pressure.  The  substance  causes  a  primary  fall  of  pressure 
which  is  followed  by  a  rise  above  the  normal.  It  also  inhibits  the 
growth  of  both  streptococci  and  staphylococci  which  is  a  great  ad- 
vantage. The  investigator  states  that  Allocaine  S.  is  a  good  local 
anesthetic  in  many  respects,  but  on  the  other  hand  it  has  also  some 
unfavorable  qualities.  HowTever,  its  use  may  prove  to  be  rather 
limited  on  account  of  its  acid  solutions  and  its  tendency  to  precipita- 
tion by  the  tissue  fluids.  Notwithstanding  this  Allocaine  S.  has  been 
used  in  several  hundred  cases  of  operations  with  success. — Jour,  of 
Pharmacology  and  Experimental  Therapeutics,  Baltimohe  12 
(1919),  343,  through  Jour.  A.  M.  A.,  April  5,  1919. 
Gelatin  Tannate. — According  to  E.  Choay,  /.  Pharm.  Chim:,  16 
(1917),  137,  the  preparation  of  tannate  of  gelatin  offers  no  obstacles 
in  its  manufacture  and  really  is  a  reliable  substitute  for  certain 
organic  tannin  compounds,  such  as  tannalbin  and  tannigen,  which 
were  at  one  time  rather  popular  with  physicians.  Ten  Grams  of  a 
good  gelatin  are  dissolved  in  the  greater  part  of  one  liter  of  distilled 
water ;  twelve  Grams  of  tannic  acid  are  dissolved  in  the  remainder. 
The  tannin  solution  is  now  poured  in  a  thin  stream  into  the  cold 
gelatin  solution  with  constant  stirring.  The  precipitate  is  allowed 
to  settle  and  the  supernatant  liquor  treated  with  a  little  more  of 
either  solution  to  determine  if  either  is  in  excess.  If  so,  sufficient 
of  the  required  solution  is  added  to  bring  about  complete  precipita- 
tion.   A  cloudy  mixture  indicates  excess  of  gelatin.    The  super- 
