436  American  Pharmaceutical  Association.  {^ptember^SoT* 
These  pure  podophyllotoxins  are  now  being  tested  for  relative 
toxicity  and  activity.  Previous  trials  by  physiological  methods  of 
the  two  resins  failed  to  show  any  marked  difference  in  their  activity. 
The  Microscopy  of  Larkspur  and  Stavesacre. 
By  Charles  W.  Ballard. 
The  author  summarizes  his  results  as  follows: 
Larkspur — outer  layer,  cells  dark  in  color  with  convoluted  walls  ; 
middle  layer,  white  thin-walled  polygonal  cells ;  inner  layer,  dark 
brown,  rectangular  cells,  much  longer  than  broad  and  larger  than 
the  corresponding  cells  of  stavesacre. 
Stavesacre — outer  layer,  dark  brown  polygonal  cells  with  thick, 
straight  walls ;  middle  layer,  large  white  cells  with  convoluted  walls ; 
inner  layer,  brown  rectangular  cells,  smaller  than  those  of  larkspur. 
The  Examination  of  Potassium  Chlorate. 
By  A.  R.  L.  Dohme  and  H.  Engelhardt. 
A  serious  explosion  of  potassium  chlorate,  which  happened  in 
the  laboratories  of  Sharp  and  Dohme  some  time  ago,  has  induced 
the  authors  to  examine  a  great  number  of  samples  of  potassium 
chlorate,  including  the  one  which  caused  the  explosion,  more  crit- 
ically than  the  U.S. P.  requires,  especially  also  for  hypochlorites  and 
chlorites.  All  the  samples,  which  answered  perfectly  the  require- 
ments of  the  U.S. P.,  did  not  contain  these  two  substances,  but,  while 
answering  the  test  proposed  by  Carlson  and  Gelhaar,  they  did  not 
stand  the  reaction  required  by  Gartenmeister. 
The  authors  think,  however,  that  this  chloro-oxycompound  which 
Gartenmeister  suspects  in  potassium  chlorate  or  the  potassium 
bromate,  as  claimed  by  Kloppstock,  is  present  usually  in  such  small 
amounts  as  not  to  render  the  salt  dangerous,  for  tons  of  potassium 
chlorates  have  been  used,  and  especially  compressed  in  the  labora- 
tories here,  without  having  caused  the  slightest  damage.  It  would 
be  well  if  the  sub-committee  on  inorganic  salts  would  take  up  the 
potassium  chlorate  question  for  the  next  Pharmacopoeia,  and  if 
possible  work  out  a  test  which  would  eliminate  questionable  and 
dangerous  products. 
