Am.  Tour.  Pharm. 
August,  1919- 
Current  Literature. 
559 
that  it  acts  on  the  —  CO  — XH —  linkage  which  occurs  in  the 
amino-acids  of  protein  molecules.  It  also  plays  an  important  part 
through  its  alcohol  function,  being  temporarily  esterified  and  then 
saponified.  The  sugars.,  as  polyatomic  alcohols,  probably  play  the 
same  role.  Probably,  however,  the  importance  of  these  properties 
of  glycerin  are  secondary  to  those  of  the  fatty  acids.  It  is  known 
that  fattv  acids  may  be  formed  from  proteins,  such  as  casein. 
Probably  the  reverse  action  occurs  in  the  organism.  Baudi  has 
demonstrated  that  fatty  and  amino-acids  combine,  forming  lipo- 
proteids,  in  which  the  physical  and  chemical  properties  of  the 
fats  are  completely  masked.  Thus  it  is  probable  that  the  fatty  acids 
combine  with  the  residues  of  the  amino-acids  derived  from  ingested 
albumins,  and  thus  render  them  assimilable.  This  explains  the 
favorable  action  of  the  fats  on  the  digestion  of  albuminoids,  and 
also  the  observed  benefit  which  follows  the  administration  of  such 
fats  as  cod-liver  oil  in  cases  of  malassimilation  of  nitrogenous  foods, 
in  diabetic  or  tubercular  cachexia.  (F.  Maignon  Comptes  rend., 
1919,  168,  626,  from  The  Pharm.  Journal  and  Pharmacist,  June 
28,  1919.) 
TRADE  INTEREST. 
Egyptian  Opium. — The  area  devoted  to  the  cultivation  of  the 
opium  poppy  in  Egypt  has  varied  from  5,000  acres  in  1833  to  1,500 
acres  in  1917.  The  plant  cultivated  is  usually  the  variety  with  white 
petals,  but  the  one  with  red  flowers  is  also  grown.  The  chief  locali- 
ties are  the  islands  of  Upper  Egypt,  which  are  covered  by  inunda- 
tions. The  seed  is  sown  between  the  middle  of  October  and  the 
end  of  November,  the  harvest  taking  place  in  the  following  February 
and  March.  The  inspissated  juice  is  collected  by  knives  moistened 
with  saliva,  transferred  to  shells,  plates  or  poppy  leaves,  and.  after 
about  a  fortnight's  drying,  made  into  cakes  weighing  from  15  to 
250  Gm.,  which  are  then  further  dried.  Cakes  of  300  to  500  Gm., 
and  sticks  20  to  30  Cc.  long,  wrapped  in  red  paper,  in  imitation  of 
Persian  opium,  are  also  found  in  the  markets,  but  these  are  adulter- 
ated. The  usual  morphine  content  is  7  per  cent.,  but  10  per  cent,  is 
not  uncommon,  and  even  12  to  15  per  cent,  has  been  found.  The 
cultivation  is  free,  but  trading  in  opium  was  prohibited  except  by 
certain  authorized  merchants.  These  authorizations  were  with- 
drawn in  191 3.    None  is  exported.    It  is,  however,  sold  clandes- 
