Am'sJe°pUtr;iS2arm'}  Abstracts  from  the  French  Journals.  467 
remedy  in  progressive  general  paralysis,  augmenting  the  chances  of 
resistance  and  retarding  further  development  during  the  period  of 
decline.  It  is  given  morning  and  evening  in  doses  of  2  milligrams 
in  a  potion  of  120  gm.;  after  fifteen  days  the  dose  is  increased  by  2 
mgm.,  until  I  centigram  is  reached,  which  is  continued  for  a  fort- 
night. The  treatment  is  then  discontinued  for  a  month,  after  which 
time  it  is  resumed  in  the  same  manner.  Under  the  conditions 
named  these  large  doses  are  borne  without  inconvenience. — Rev. 
internat.  de  Bibl.  med.t  July  25,  1892. 
Calcium  bisulphite  is  recommended  by  Henry  Berg  (Eira,  Stock- 
holm, xvi,  through  Rev.  internat.  de  Bibl.  med.,  1892,  p.  222)  as  a 
valuable  antiseptic,  which  does  not  possess  toxic  properties,  destroys 
infectious  germs  quickly  and  surely,  is  not  caustic,  does  not  alter 
the  healthy  tissues,  and  is  prepared  without  difficulty  and  at  a  low 
cost  in  colorless  solution,  having  a  characteristic  and  easily  recog- 
nized odor. 
Antisepsis  during  epidemics. — E.  Vallin  in  Rev.  dy  hygiene,  February, 
1892,  directs  attention  to  the  necessity  of  frequent  and  prolonged 
antiseptic  applications  to  the  nasal  cavities,  the  mouth  and  the 
throat,  where  morbific  germs  would  be  apt  to  lodge  and  multiply. 
Cinnamon  water,  anise  water  or  a  similar  vehicle  may  be  used  for 
this  purpose,  to  which  may  be  added  naphthol,  salol,  phenol  or  other 
antiseptic  agent,  which  is  not  poisonous  and  does  not  attack  the 
enamel  of  the  teeth  ;  for  the  nose  a  3  per  cent,  solution  of  boric  acid 
is  a  good  application.  To  be  effective  these  washes  should  be 
applied  several  times  a  day. 
Synthesis  of  tartaric  acid. — P.  Genvresse  {Compt.  rend.,  cxiv,  555) 
treated  glyoxylic  acid,  COH.C02H,  with  zinc  powder  and  acetic  acid, 
heating  finally  on  the  water-bath,  whereby  it  was  converted  into 
racemic  acid. 
The  fruit  of  Prunus  Laurocerasus,  according  to  Camille  Vincent 
and  Delachanal  (Compt.  rend.,  cxiv,  486),  contains  mannit  and 
sorbit.  The  bruised  cherries  were  allowed  to  ferment,  the  liquid 
treated  with  lead  acetate,  freed  from  lead  and  concentrated  to  a 
syrup,  from  which  most  of  the  mannit  crystallized,  more  being 
precipitated  by  the  addition  of  alcohol.  The  remaining  liquid,  by 
a  complicated  process,  yielded  sorbit  identical  with  that  obtained 
from  mountain  ash  berries. 
