57o  Medical  and  Pharmaceutical  Notes.  j^JgS^Y."1' 
aspirin  4  grains  of  sodium  citrate  should  be  added.  Such  a  solu- 
tion, flavored  with  syrup  of  lemon,  is  suitable  for  administration  to 
children.  Through  the  Prescriber,  June,  192 1. 
Foods  and  Vitamines. — The  recent  study  of  the  vitamines  has 
modified  our  conception  of  what  a  perfect  fQod  should  be.  From  a 
chemical  point  of  view  it  should  provide  sufficient  calories  to  main- 
tain the  warmth  of  the  body,  and  produce  energy  and  also  sufficient 
salts  and  proteins  to  furnish  an  adequate  proportion  of  the  various 
indispensable  amino-acids.  Biologically  it  should  contain  a  sufficient 
amount  of  vitamines  to  ensure  growth  in  the  young  and  equilibrium 
in  the  adult.  Physically  is  should  contain  cellulose  corresponding  in 
volume  to  the  length  of  the  intestine.  The  authors  have  examined  a 
number  of  advertised  foods,  and  found  that  many  fall  short  of  these 
requirements.  White  rats  were  employed  as  test  animals.  Five  ad- 
vertised infants'  foods  were  insufficient  to  maintain  life,  and  the  rats 
fed  on  them  exclusively  died  in  periods  varying  from  ten  to  forty 
days.  Other  foods  had  the  same  result,  but  maintained  life  longer; 
while  others,  again,  maintained  life,  but  were  insufficient  to  allow  of 
growth.  Perrot  and  Lecoq  consider  their  experiments  prove  that  it 
is  quite  possible  to  produce  foods  that  are  not  devoid  of  any  one  of 
the  essential  ingredients;  in  fact,  three  of  those  examined  were  of 
this  nature.  Manufacturers  should  have  their  foods  tested,  and  rem- 
edy any  deficiences  that  may  be  shown  to  exist.  Cereal  porteins  can 
be  improved  by  the  addition  of  animal  proteins ;  the  necessary  ions 
which  are  often  deficient  are  sodium,  calcium,  and  chlorine;  milk, 
eggs,  beer  yeast,  cereal  germs,  etc.,  may  be  utilized  as  a  source  of 
vitamines. — Em.  Perrot  and  R.  Lecoq,  Bull,  des  Sciences  Pharm.,  28, 
177;  through  Pharm.  Journ.  and  Pharm.,  June,  1921. 
Atropine  Sulphate  From  Datura  Stramonium. — The  au- 
thors have  prepared  atropine  sulphate  in  crystalline  form  from  stra- 
monium herb  by  the  following  method:  The  ground  plant  was 
extracted  with  water  containing  0.2  per  cent,  of  sulphuric  acid  and 
0.5  per  cent,  of  formaldehyde;  the  percolate  was  treated  with  Fuller's 
earth,  allowed  to  settle,  and  the  sludge  collected  and  dried  at  500  C 
The  absorbed  alkaloids  were  extrated  with  alcohol,  using,  lime  to  ob- 
tain alkalinity;  the  extracts  were  acidified  with  acetic  acid  and  con- 
centrated first  to  12  per  cent,  and  then  under  reduced  pressure  to  2 
