540  Gleanings  from  the  Foreign  Journals,  {'^"'bec^isj]'^'"'' 
to  meet  the  varied  wants  of  the  family.  These  formulae,  brought  to 
the  notice  of  and  adopted  by  pharmacists,  would  measurably  lessen  the 
sale  of  nostrums  among  the  large  class  who  are  unwilling  to  call  a  phy- 
sician for  every  little  ailment.  The  duty  of  the  second  committee  should 
be  to  obtain  information  relative  to  the  laws  governing  the  granting 
of  patents  on  articles  of  a  medicinal  or  cosmetic  nature,  and  endeavor 
to  secure  by  legislation  greater  stringency  in  these  laws,  and  thus  dim- 
inish the  forces  of  the  enemy. 
From  the  Patent  Office  at  Washington  I  have  the  following  data, 
showing  a  gratifying  declension  in  the  issuing  of  patents  on  Medical 
Compounds."    There  have  been  granted  in  all  about  650. 
In  1872  there  were  issued,  .  .  .68 
In  1873  "  •  •  •  39 
In  1874  about  .  .  •  3^ 
As  the  number  of  items  in  the  catalogue  of  the  leading  American 
dealer  is  probably  several  thousand,  it  is  evident  that  a  large  majority 
of     Patent  Medicines  "  are  not  patented,  after  all. 
Flathush^  L.  I.^  No'vember^  1875. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  FOREIGN  JOURNALS. 
BY  THE  EDITOR. 
Solutions  of  Alkaloids  in  Oil. — Mr.  J.  B.  Barnes  suggests  the  use  of 
glacial  acetic  acid  as  a  means  of  preparing  such  solutions  when  required 
for  liniments.  It  is  well  known  that  this  acid  mixes  with  fixed  and 
essential  oils  in  all  proportions.  Solutions  of  aconitia,  atropia,  morphia 
and  veratria,  in  glacial  acetic  acid,  unite  with  almond  oil  and  oil  of  tur- 
pentine, forming  clear  solutions,  which,  after  exposure  in  unclosed 
test-tubes  for  several  days,  remain  clear  and  without  change  ;  quinia 
and  cinchonia  also  unite  with  almond  oil  when  dissolved  in  glacial  ace- 
tic acid.  These  solutions  may  be  made  of  any  desired  strength,  and 
do  not  lose  their  transparency  when  mixed  with  chloroform  and  cam- 
phor.— Phar.  Jour,  and  Trans. 1875,  Sept.,  li. 
Linimentuin  Terehinthince  Aceticujn. — In  a  paper  read  before  the  Brit- 
ish Pharmaceutical  Conference,  W.  Symons  proposes  a  modification 
of  the  formula  of  the  British  "  Pharmacopoeia,"  as  follows  : 
Take  of  Glacial  acetic  acid,      ....    one  part 
Spirit  of  camphor,  .  .  .  two  parts 
Castor  oil,    .  .  .  .  .one  part 
Turpentine,         ....  two  parts 
