Am  jour.  PJarm.  >     Medical  and  Pharmaceutical  Notes.  363 
May,  1921.  J 
uine  idiosyncrasy.  In  hay-fever  the  conjunctiva  becomes  bloodshot, 
and  the  introduction  in  some  form  of  the  suspected  substance  into 
the  eye  always  produces  this  bloodshot  effect.  But  as  it  is  seldom 
convenient  to  apply  this  test,  the  urticaria  effect  is  more  generally 
used.  This  consists  in  the  application  to  the  skin  of  the  arm,  from 
which,  by  slight  scratching,  the  epidermis  has  been  partially  removed, 
of  the  suspected  substance,  or  of  its  precipitated  proteids.  If  there 
is  a  reaction  in  the  form  of  an  urticarial  eruption,  the  person  is  sensi- 
tive to  the  substance,  which  is  therefore  contra-indicated  as  an  article 
of  diet,  or  as  a  pathogenic  vegetable,  or  animal  substance.  The  lec- 
turer quoted  a  number  of  cases  from  his  own  hospital  and  private 
practice,  in  which  bronchial-asthma  in  cat  and  other  sensitives  had 
been  cured  by  the  elimination  of  the  peccant  organic  substance.  He 
confessed  that  the  mechanism  of  these  phenomena  was  still  unex- 
plained, but  was  hopeful  that  future  research  would  reveal  the 
rationale  of  it.  A  few  weeks  before  his  death,  Lord  Moulton,  to 
whom  the  lecturer  had  described  some  of  his  work  on  toxic  idiopathy, 
had  exclaimed,  "At  last  Nature  has  come  out  into  the  open  and  we 
shall  catch  her." — From  the  Pharmaceutical  Journal,  March.  192 1. 
Quninine  Acetosalicylsulphate. — The  solubility  of  quinine 
sulphate  in  water  at  ordinary  temperature  is  usually  stated 
as  about  1  part  in  800,  and  that  of  acetyl-salicylic  acid  as  1  in  400 
of  water.  On  adding  the  two  compounds  to  water,  in  ordinary 
dosage  quantities  and  stirring,  it  is  obvious  that  the  mix- 
ture is  much  more  soluble  than  either  of  the  constituents.  It  was 
fairly  certain  that  an  acid  salt  is  formed,  and  it  seemed  worth  while 
to  determine  which  proportion  of  acid  gave  the  maximum  solubility. 
By  adding  the  acid  in  increased  molecular  proportions,  it  was  found 
that  the  best  result  was  obtained  by  4  molecules  of  acetylsalicylic  acid 
to  1  of  quinine  sulphate.  That  a  definite  compound  is  formed  is 
evident  from  the  behaviour  of  solutions  on  evaporating,  no  appear- 
ance of  separate  constituents  being  visible.  Taking  B  as  representing 
C20H24N2O2,  we  may  give  the  formula  of  the  salt  as : 
B2-H2SO4.4C9HgO4.4H2O. 
It  is  quite  usual  to  give  the  formula  of  a  salt  with  the  maximum 
water  of  hydration  which  it  is  capable  of  taking  up.  In  the  case  of 
the  salt  in  question  that  seems  to  be  9  molecules,  but  it  readily  dries 
or  effloresces  to  the  proportion  of  4  molecules,  so  that  the  formula 
