128         GLEANINGS — CHEMICAL,  PHARMACEUTICAL,  ETC. 
and  that  even  in  the  dilute  form  of  ten  minims  of  liquor 
potassse  to  the  ounce  of  water,  the  peculiar  properties  of  henbane 
and  the  other  narcotics  are  completely  neutralized.  Dr.  Garrod 
also  announced  that  animal  charcoal  is  an  efficient  antidote  for 
the  three  alkaloids  above  mentioned.  [The  character  of  Dr. 
Garrod  gives  great  weight  to  his  remarks  ;  yet  the  statement  in 
reference  to  the  action  of  potash  is  so  extraordinary,  especially 
in  view  of  the  usual  process  for  making  nicotina  from  tobacco, 
another  of  the  same  natural  order,  by  distilling  it  with  caustic 
potash,  that  we  should  like  to  see  the  statement  confirmed  by 
well  applied  experiment,  to  determine,  1st,  whether  those  alka- 
loids are  destroyed ;  2d,  whether  a  new  alkaloid  results  as  a 
derivative,  as  quinolina  from  quinia ;  and  if  so,  3d,  whether  the 
new  product  possesses  active  properties.— Ed.  Amer.  Journ. 
Pharm.] 
Ampelopsis  Quinquefolia,  or  Virginia  Creeper. — The  com- 
mon Ampelopsis,  or  Virginia  Creeper,  so  ornamental  as  a  decidu- 
ous climbing  plant  in  our  woods  and  on  many  walls  in  this  city, 
is  recommended  by  Dr.  J.  McCall  as  a  remedy  in  dropsy.  The 
bark  of  the  vine  is  the  part  employed,  and  it  should  be  gathered 
late  in  the  Autumn,  when  the  berries  are  fully  ripe  and  the 
leaves  begin  to  turn  red  and  fall.  It  should  be  dried  in  the 
shade  and  preserved  carefully  from  moisture.  The  Ampelopsis  is 
readily  known  by  the  quinate  division  of  the  leaf.  Its  creeping 
character  and  frequent  occurrence  on  the  same  tree  with  Rhus 
radicans,  or  poison  vine,  should  lead  the  collector  to  avoid  sub- 
stituting the  latter,  which  has  a  three-lobed  leaf. 
In  its  physiological  effects  it  appears  to  "stimulate  absorp- 
tion and  the  elimination  of  matter  through  all  of  the  outlets  of 
the  system  rather  than  to  act  on  any  particular  secretion,  though 
by  some  it  is  stated  to  be  actively  diuretic." 
Dr.  McC.  esteems  the  Ampelopsis  a  valuable  addition  to  the 
materia  medica;  it  is  not  unpleasant  to  take,  though  in  taste  it  is 
acrid  and  persistent.  Its  infusion  and  decoction  are  quite  mu- 
cilaginous -Memphis  Journal  of  Medicine. 
