414  Gleanings  from  the  Foreign  Journals. 
The  organization  of  the  ergot  fungus  seems  to  him  so  low  that  its 
mycelium  cannot  build  up  organic  matter,  so  as  to  constitute  an  alka- 
loid or  glucoside  substance  from  water,  carbonic  acid  and  ammonia,, 
but  feeds,  so  to  speak,  more  directly  on  the  vegetable  material  of  the 
mother  plant.  He  believes  that  less  elementary  compounds  are  taken 
up  by  it  from  the  rye  grain,  and  thinks  the  gluten  the  most  likely 
material  from  which  to  form  the  gelatin-like  substance  which  he  isola- 
ted partly  from  ergotin.  On  this  modified  albuminous  constituent  of 
the  rye,  at  a  certain  stage  of  its  metamorphosis,  he  infers,  depends  the 
peculiar  action  of  the  fresh  infusion  or  extract.  Any  further  complex 
chemical  processes  and  reactions  for  the  isolation  of  the  active  sub- 
stance must  necessarily  have  changed  it  so  much  in  its  natural  course 
of  decomposition  that  it  has  lost  its  efficacy,  in  the  same  manner,  for 
instance,  as  the  decomposing  albuminous  substances  of  putrid  blood 
lose  their  poisonous  effects  when  decomposition  has  reached  to  a  cer- 
tain point. 
The  freshly  prepared  ergotin  seems  therefore  to  give  alone  a  guar- 
antee of  success.  For  subcutaneous  application  it  ought  to  be  care- 
fully neutralized  by  carbonate  of  soda,  as  it  contains  much  acid, 
especially  lactic  acid,  as  Buchheim  found,  besides  quantities  of  leucin. 
— Phar.  Jour,  and  Trans.,  July  1st. 
Remedy  for  Dandruff. — A  French  physician  recommends  to  apply  a 
solution  of  chloral  hydrate  containing  5  per  cent,  of  the  latter,  by 
rubbing  from  h  to  1  oz.  into  the  scalp  by  means  of  a  sponge,  and  repeating 
it  every  morning.  A  slight  burning  sensation  and  reddening  of  the  scalp 
occurs,  disappearing  after  two  minutes.  If  the  hair  had  fallen  off  in 
consequence  of  the  dandruff,  it  will  be  renewed  in  about  a  month. — 
Apoth.  Ztg.,  No.  25. 
Fluid  Extract  of  Chestnut  Leaves  made  from  the  European  variety  of 
Castanea  vesca,  appears  to  be  gaining  favor  in  Germany  as  a  remedy 
for  whooping  cough.  In  "  Phar.  Zeitung,"  of  July  26,  Dr.  Schmidt,  of 
Edenkoben,  publishes  a  long  list  of  German  towns  and  cities  where  it 
has  been  employed,  also  extracts  from  numerous  letters  from  physicians 
and  pharmacists,  according  to  which  the  preparation,  though  not  a 
specific  against  the  disease  mentioned,  is  regarded  as  a  very  valuable 
medicine,  usually  relieving  in  a  short  time  the  spasmodic  and  paroxys- 
mal cough  and  correcting  the  expectoration  ;  it  has  also  been  found 
advantageous  in  the  diarrhoea  of  children. 
