I 
610  Oleum  G aulthericE.  { ^""0^0"  iss?^'"'"' 
adapting  the  new  process  to  the  official  standard  the  writer  discards 
the  four-molecule  salt  in  favor  of  that  with  six  molecules  of  lactic 
acid.  The  pharmacopoeial  proportions  of  all  the  ingredients  are  main- 
tained, excepting  calcium,  which  necessarily  is  reduced  to  two-thirds 
its  official  proportion.  The  calcium  lactate  is  readily  generated  by 
means  of  calcium  carbonate  and  lactic  acid. 
In  using  parts  by  weight  in  the  construction  of  working  formulas, 
it  is  frequently  impossible  to  make  a  proper  adjustment  by  means  of 
integral  parts  where  the  ultimate  weight  is  reduced  to  the  decimal 
scale.  In  consequence,  many  official  formulas  are  necessarily  inaccu- 
rate. The  writer  has  obviated  this  by  employing  atomic  proportions 
and  larger  numbers,  regardless  of  the  roundness  of  the  final  number 
of  parts.  The  official  standard  is,  however,  maintained,  excepting 
where  a  deviation  indicated  a  positive  advantage.  The  new  formula 
for  preparing  syrup  of  calcium  lactophosphate  is  as  follows : 
Calcium  carbonate   150  parts. 
Lactic  acid,  sutRcient,  or   360  " 
Phosphoric  acid   196  " 
Sugar   6,545  " 
Water,  sulficient  for   10,908  " 
Mix  the  lactic  acid  with  1,500  parts  of  water,  and  gradually  add 
the  calcium  carbonate.  If  the  mixture  does  not  become  clear,  warm 
it  gently  and  add  lactic  acid,  drop  by  drop,  until  a  transparent  solution 
is  obtained.  To  this  add  the  phosphoric  acid  previously  mixed  with 
1,500  parts  of  water  together  with  enough  more  water  to  make  the 
whole  weigh  4,363  parts.  Then  add  the  sugar,  and  when  this  has  dis- 
solved, with  frequent  stirring,  filter  the  syrup  through  paper. 
Oleum  Gaultheriae. — At  the  New  York  Medical  and  Surgical 
Society,  Dr.  Flint  stated  that  the  results  of  the  trial  made  of  this 
substance  in  thirteen  cases  of  rheumatism  at  the  Bellevue  Hospital 
served  to  show  rather  better  results  than  those  which  are  ordinarily 
obtained  from  salicylic  acid.  The  oil  of  wintergreen  was  administered 
several  times  a  day  in  ten-  drop  doses  in  flax-seed  tea,  which  renders  it 
less  disagreeable  to  the  taste  and  to  the  stomach.  In  some  of  the  cases 
the  alkaline  treatment  was  employed  at  the  same  time.  Dr.  Ball  stated 
that  Dr.  Kinnicutt  had  used  the  oil  of  Gaultheria  in  a  number  of  cases 
of  acute  rheumatism  with  even  better  results  than  those  mentioned  by 
Dr.  Flint.  It  was  administered  in  milk,  and  was  less  disagreeable  when 
so  taken  than  salicylic  acid  or  salicylate  of  sodium. — New  York  Medical 
Journal,  June  30,  1883. 
