Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Aug.,  1880. 
Varieties, 
427 
per  cent,  of  alkaloid  is  so  hygroscopic  that  it  again  attracts  from  the 
atmosphere  two  molecules  of  water  more  or  less  rapidly  according  to 
the  humidity  of  the  air. 
Consideration  of  these  facts  leads  Dr.  Kerner  to  suggest  that  the 
constant  salt  with  two  molecules  of  water  should  be  made  official^ 
with  the  view  of  preventing  improper  introduction  of  water  or  loss  to 
druggists  by  efflorescence,  and  of  ensuring  the  administration  of  quinia 
in  precisely  the  doses  desired.  Meanwhile,  however,  he  recommends 
the  practice  of  making  a  determination  of  the  amount  of  water  an  ele- 
ment in  the  valuation  of  commercial  quinia  sulphate,  as  being  more 
important  than  the  testing  for  such  traces  of  cinchonidia  as  fail  to  be 
indicated  by  the  ammonia  test. 
We  share  this  view  of  the  desirability  of  taking  the  percentage  of 
water  into  account  in  testing  quinia  sulphate  more  thoroughly  than  we 
do  that  which  gives  a  preference  to  the  ammonia  test,  and  are  disposed 
to  think  that  the  modification  of  that  test  in  which  ether  is  used  to 
ascertain  the  solubility  of  the  alkaloid  remaining  in  solution  as  sulphate 
after  recrystallizing  the  sample  in  question  from  water  will  furnish  a 
more  intelligible  result  than  any  other  we  know  of.  The  quantitative 
determination  of  the  amount  of  impurity  is,  however,  a  matter  requir- 
ing some  considerable  skill  in  analytical  operations,  and  as  regards  any- 
thing less  than  i  per  cent,  it  may  in  general  be  dispensed  with  alto- 
gether for  all  practical  purposes. — Pharm,  Jour,  and  Trans. ^  July  10^ 
1880. 
VARIETIES. 
Iodide  of  Starch  as  an  Antidote. — In  a  memoir  read  before  the  Medical  Society 
of  Florence,  Dr.  Bellini  recommends  iodide  of  starch  as  an  antidote  for  poisons  in 
general  ("La  Presse  Med.  Beige").  This  compound  has  no  disagreeable  taste,  and 
has  not  the  irritant  properties  of  iodine  5  hence,  the  author  concludes  that  it  may  be 
administered  in  large  doses.  It  may  be  given  without  fear  in  all  cases  where  the 
poison  is  unknown.  It  will  be  found  very  efficacious  in  poisoning  by  sulphuretted 
hydrogen  gas,  the  alkaloids  and  alkaline  sulphides,  ammonia,  and  especially  by 
alkalies  with  which  iodine  forms  insoluble  compounds.  In  this  respect  it  is  prefer- 
able to  iodated  tincture  of  iodine.  It  aids  in  the  elimination  of  salts  of  lead  and 
mercury.  In  cases  of  acute  poisoning  an  emetic  should  be  given  before  the  antidote 
is  administered. — Med.  Press  and  Circular. 
Tartrate  of  Morphia — The  new  preparation  of  neutral  tartrate  of  morphia  is  a 
useful  adjunct  to  our  therapeutics.    Being  very  soluble,  it  passes  quickly  out  of  the 
V 
