T34 
Varieties. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm, 
Mar.  1876. 
let  with  a  cork,  provided  with  a  little  notch  on  the  tapered  end  (if  the  apparatus  has 
no  stop-cock),  pour  upon  it  12  fluidounces  of  cold  distilled  water,  set  it  aside  for 
24  hours,  then  loosen  the  cork  so  as  to  allow  the  liquid  to  fall  in  drops,  and  let  it 
percolate  through,  adding  water  in  sufficient  quantity  until  13  fluidounces  have  been 
obtained.  To  this  add  half  a  troy  ounce  of  gum  arabic,  bruised,  stir  occasionally., 
and  when  it  has  dissolved,  add  half  a  troy  ounce  of  sugar  5  stir,  heat  the  mixture  to 
the  boiling  point,  strain,  and  allow  it  to  cool  off,  adding,  if  necessary,  distilled  water 
to  make  it  weigh  1 3  J  troyounces.  To  this  perfectly  clear  liquid  add  camphorated 
tincture  of  opium,  2  fluidounces,  wine  of  antimony,  1  fluidounce,  spirit  of  nitrous 
ether,  ^  fluidounce,  and  mix. 
"  By  this  process  starch  and  other  impurities  will  be  left  behind  in  the  funnel  or 
percolator,  the  mass  retaining  almost  its  original  shape  (being  merely  a  skeleton)., 
while  the  liquoiice  will  be  exhausted." 
It  will  be  observed  that  this  is  essentially  the  same  formula  suggested  by  Mr. 
Wilder  on  page  97  of  our  last  volume,  differing  mainly  in  the  recommendation  to 
boil  the  solution  of  extract,  gum  and  sugar. 
Lactopeptin. — The  following  formula  for  this  preparation  is  copied  from  the 
"  Oil,  Paint  and  Drug  Reporter,""  of  January  26th  : 
Sugar  of  milk,         .               .               .  .20  ounces 
Pepsin,  pure,                  ...  4  ounces 
Paucreatin,  pure,     .              .              .  .3  ounces 
Ptyalin  or  diastase,         ...  1  drachm 
Lactic  acid,             .               .               .  2^  fl.  drachms 
Hydrochloric  acid,         .              .  zj  fl.  drachms 
Powder  and  mix. 
Quinetum. — A  preparation  of  the  whole  alkaloids,  separated  from  East  India 
red  bark,  has  been  used  for  some  time  in  the  Indian  hospitals,  as  well  as  in  private 
practice,  with  great  success.  The  concurrent  testimony  of  medical  men  in  our  In- 
dian possessions  is  to  the  effect  that  quinia  is  not  so  greatly  superior  to  the  whole 
alkaloids  as  to  make  it  worth  while  to  separate  the  sulphate  in  its  pure  state.  Mr. 
Thomas  Whiffen,  of  the  Quinine  Works,  Battersea,  now  offers  to  the  profession  a 
similar  preparation,  which  he  calls  quinetum.  It  is  in  the  form  of  a  fine  granular 
non-adherent  powder  of  a  pale  buff  color.  The  proportions  of  the  various  alkaloids 
present  will,  of  necessity,  vary  with  the  sample  of  bark  used,  but  we  think  not  so- 
much  as  to  be  of  moment  therapeutically.  Sulphate  of  quinetum  is  a  white  crystal- 
line body  with  a  faint  pink  tinge,  greatly  resembling  sulphate  of  quinia  ;  and  we 
are  informed  that  the  preparation  can  be  supplied  to  the  profession  at  about  one- 
half  of  the  cost  of  quinine. — Medical  Neavs,  Jan.,  1876,  from  Brit.  Med-  Journ.y. 
Nov.  27,  1875. 
Thermic  Researches  on  Phosphoric  Acid.  By  MM.  Berthelot  and  Louguin- 
ine. — M.  Thomsen,  having  repeated  the  experiments  of  Graham  in  1869  ("  Pog- 
gendorfPs  Annalen,"  cxl,  90  and  94),  concluded  that  phosphoric  acid  was  not  a 
true  tribasic  acid,  but  rather  a  bibasic  and  triatomic.    The  authors,  having  re-ex- 
