VARIETIES. 
275 
The  following  U  valuable  both  as  to  form  and  reliability : 
Acid  Sulphate  of  Zinc  Paste. — Among  the  new  forms  of  caustic  which 
the  recent  discussion  respecting  them  has  been  the  means  of  bringing  into 
use,  one  of  the  most  convenient  appears  to  be  the  sulphate  of  zinc  with  sul- 
phuric acid.  The  powdered  salt  is  moistened  with  the  concentrated  acid, 
and  applied  in  a  paste  form  to  the  sore.  It  has  been  proposed,  and  success- 
fully employed  in  one  or  two  cases,  by  Mr.  Henry  Thompson.  A  great  re- 
commendation is,  that  its  ingredients  are  always  at  hand,  and  easily 
manipulated.  Its  efficiency  also  appears  to  be  great,  and  the  resulting 
cicatrix  soft  and  good. — Eclectic  Med.  hum.,  April,  1858,  from  Med.  Times 
and  Gaz. 
Arsenic  in  Paper-Hangings. — Dr.  Alfred  Swaine  Taylor,  in  his  evidence 
before  the  Select  Committee  of  the  House  of  Lords,  last  session,  on  the  Sale 
of  Poisons  Bill,  after  pointing  out  that  arsenic  was  much  used  in  several 
manufactures,  such  as  in  the  manufacture  of  glass,  especially  of  opal  glass, 
of  shot,  in  the  steeping  of  grain,  and  in  killing  the  fly  in  sheep,  states  that 
the  largest  quantity  of  arsenic  used  in  this  country  is  used  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  paper  for  covering  walls.  He  considered  it  very  injurious  both  to 
those  living  in  a  house  papered  with  this  article,  as  well  as  to  those  em- 
ployed in  the  manufacture.  An  instance  was  published  in  a  medical  work 
of  some  cases  of  illness  occurring  to  persons  living  in  a  room  papered  with 
this  paper ;  and  the  effects  were  described  as  those  arising  from  arsenic. 
The  color,  says  Dr.  Taylor,  is  put  on  very  loosely;  it  contains  nearly  fifty 
per  cent,  of  the  poison.  In  addition  to  the  above,  Dr.  Taylor  handed  to 
the  Committee  an  envelop,  the  green  tint  on  the  inside  of  which  he  examined, 
and  found  to  be  formed  of  arsenite  of  copper.  There  is  also  an  orange  yel- 
low which  contains  arsenic. — British  Med.  Journ.,from  Med.  News,  April, 
1858. 
Citrate  of  Iron  and  Strychnia  a  new  Therapeutic  Agent. —For  a  long  time 
back  a  therapeutic  agent  of  very  efficient  properties  has  been  used  with  con- 
siderable success  at  the  Royal  Free  Hospital  in  cases  of  dyspepsia  of  an 
atonic  character  by  Dr.  O'Conner.  He  has  also  found  it  productive  of  great 
benefit  in  similar  conditions  depending  on  functional  derangement  of  the 
uterus.  In  these  cases  it  acts  as  an  emmenagogue  when  all  other  remedies 
have  failed,  and  it  has  a  powerful  effect  in  tranquillizing  the  excitement  of 
the  nervous  system.  This  preparation  is  a  citrate  of  iron  and  strychnia,  the 
dose  of  which  is  about  three  grains  three  times  a  day,  to  be  taken  imme- 
diately after  a  meal.  There  is  now  a  case  of  chorea  in  the  Hospital  under 
the  care  of  Dr.  O'Connor,  immediately  brought  on  by  the  patient  being 
frightened  by  a  thunderstorm  in  August  last,  since  which  time  she  has, 
without  any  intermission  of  the  symptoms,  been  a  sufferer.  In  this  case  the 
citrate  of  iron  and  strychnia  has  been  only  used  for  a  few  days,  and  already 
