^""Mir^s^or"^}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals,  137 
loid  as  a  thick,  strongly  alkaline,  brown,  oily  liquid,  heavier  than  water, 
combining  readily  with  acids,  and  possessing  a  strong,  burning  taste, 
and  an  odor  resembling  tobacco.  Even  at  ordinary  temperatures  it 
irritates  the  eyes,  nose  and  throat,  and  in  the  presence  of  hydrochloric 
acid  forms  white  clouds.  It  dissolves  in  every  proportion  in  water, 
alcohol  and  ether,  and  greatly  resembles  nicotina.  The  authors  at 
first  supposed  this  alkaloid  to  be  identical  with  the  alkaloid  isolated 
from  Duboisia  myoporoides,  but  were  convinced  by  further  investiga- 
tions that  the  two  alkaloids  difFer  considerably,  both  in  regard  to  their 
physiological  action  and  also  in  chemical  and  physical  respects,  for 
which  reason  they  suggest  the  adoption  of  the  name  Piturina  for  the 
alkaloid'of  Duboisia  Hopwoodii,  and  favor  the  retention  of  the  name 
Duboisina  for  the  alkaloid  of  Duboisia  myoporoides.  The  yield  of  the 
latter  alkaloid,  obtained  by  the  authors  from  the  fresh  (cultivated)  plant, 
amounted  to  0*55  per  cent. — Ztschr,  d.  Allg.  Oest.  Ap.  Ver.^  Jan.  10, 
1880,  p.  21. 
Are  Swedish  Safety  Matches  Poisonous  ? —  Hamberg  found 
them  to  contain,  besides  amorphous  phosphorus,  which,  when  pure,  is 
not  poisonous,  also  antimony,  arsenic,  ordinary  phosphorus  and  a  large 
percentage  of  potassium  bichromate,  thus  proving  them  to  be  very  poison- 
ous. The  arsenic  is  attributed  by  Hamberg  and  Dr.  S.  Jolin  to  the 
impure  amorphous  phosphorus  used  in  the  preparation  of  the  matches, 
and  this  was  found  to  contain  almost  2  per  cent,  of  ordinary  phosphorus 
and  nearly  i  per  cent,  of  arsenic. — Arch'iv  d.  Pharm.^  Dec,  1879,  p.  518. 
Antidote  for  Carbolic  Acid. —  Husemann  recommended  several 
years  ago  saccharated  lime  (a  solution  of  caustic  lime  in  sugar-water)  for 
neutralizing  the  poisonous  effect  of  carbolic  acid,  while  Sanftleben  claims 
to  have  found  an  antidote  in  sulphuric  acid,  which,  according  to  his  state- 
ment, enters  into  a  not  poisonous  combination  with  carbolic  acid  ;  he 
prescribes  the  following  : 
R    Dilute  sulphuric  acid,       .           .           .           .  lo  grams. 
Muc.  of  gum  arabic,            ....  200 
Simple  syrup,       .....  30 
Mix,  and  give  a  tablespoonful  every  hour. 
— Ztschr.  d.  Allg.  Oest.  Apoth.  Ver.^  Jan.  10,  1880,  p.  10,  from  Pharm. 
Ztschr.  /.  Russl. 
Chloral  hydrate  as  an  Antidote. — Th.  Husemann  states  that 
I.  Chloralhydrate  is  an  excellent  antidote  for  strychnia  and  other 
poisonous  vegetable  alkaloids  which  cause  convulsions.     In  order  to 
