Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  ) 
Sept.,  1875.  ]■ 
Editorial. 
429 
M.  Thibault  read  a  note  stating,  tliat  In  the  tinned  surface  of  a  still  he  found 
44'75  per  cent,  of  lead.  In  a  paper  by  M.  Patrouillard,  he  objected  to  the  use  of 
the  fluid  extract  of  bitter  orange  peal  for  preparing  the  syrup,  which  does  not  repre- 
sent the  officinal;  the  latter  made  by  infusion,  gelatinizes  from  the  separation  of 
pectin,  when  acidulated  with  a  little  hydrochloric  acid. 
M.  Petit  stated  that  his  experiments  prove  that  i  gram  of  ptyalin  will  dissolve 
from  10,000  to  2o,Doo  grams  of  starch,  producing  an  amount  of  sugar  varying  be- 
tween 3,500  and  7,000  grams. 
M.  Latour  gave  an  account  of  the  researches  on  the  composition  of  bois  d'acajouy 
made  by  himself  and  M.  Cazeneuve  [see  page  396). 
EDITORIAL  DEPARTMENT. 
The  next  session  of  the  Colleges  of  Pharmacy  in  the  United  States  will 
commence  October  ist,  the  California  College  of  Pharmacy  excepted,  in  which  the 
vacation  will  commence  about  that  time.  We  learn  with  pleasure  that  the  pros- 
pects for  a  large  attendance  are  quite  promising,  and  that  in  nearly  all  the  colleges 
improvements  have  been  made,  increasing  the  facilities  for  instruction.  Students 
who  contemplate  attending  the  lectures  we  would  advise  to  be  promptly  on  hand  at 
*  the  Jirst  lecture,  and  would  counsel  a  regular  attendance  throughout  the  entire 
course  5  they  should  remember  that  knowledge  cannot  be  gained  otherwise  but  by 
earnest  labor. 
A  large  number  of  students  who  intend  to  study  at  the  Philadelphia  College  of 
Pharmacy  have  already  been  registered  as  applicants  for  situations,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped 
that  pharmacists  doing  business  in  this  city  or  in  the  neighborhood,  if  in  need  af 
assistants,  will  make  early  application  to  the  Registrar  of  the  College,  Mr.  Wm. 
C.  Bakes,  11 00  Arch  street. 
Damiana. — In  our  last  number  we  gave  a  brief  account  of  the  claims  which  have 
been  put  forth  for  this  new  but  unknown  drug.  On  page  426  of  the  present  num- 
ber our  readers  will  find  an  allusion  to  the  same  article,  from  which  it  would  appear 
that  this  so-called  damiana  cannot  be  regarded  in  any  other  light  except  that  of  a 
proprietary  medicine,  shrewdly  put  upon  the  market.  This  view  is  strengthened  by 
an  editorial  in  the  "Medical  and  Surgical  Reporter"  of  August  14th,  from  which 
we  give  below  an  extract.  Since  no  reliable  Information  can  be  obtained  from  the 
proprietor  of  damiana  In  the  Atlantic  States,  perhaps  our  friends  in  California  may 
be  able  to  enlighten  us  on  the  subject. 
The  "  Medical  and  Surgical  Reporter"  has  the  following: 
Our  application  for  samples  of  the  extract  was  complied  with  by  the  proprietor  of  the  preparation,  for 
which  courtesy  we  express  our  thanks.  But  he  declined  to  state  from  what  part  of  Mexico  he  obtained 
it,  or  through  what  channels  of  trade.  He  further  added  that  no  botanical  specimen  of  the  plant  could 
be  had. 
The  extract  sent  us  contained  considerable  alcohol,  the  effect  of  which  must  be  allowed  for.  The 
amount  of  alcohol  in  a  dose  of  the  extract  was  fl.5i  or  fl.5ii. 
In  two  instances  we  administered  a  dessertspoonful  of  the  extract  three  times  a  day,  to  healthy  men, 
for  three  days.    The  result  was  null  beyond  a  slight  stimulation  from  the  alcohol. 
