MISCELLANY. 
351 
M. Deleschamp has recorded in the Journ. de Chem. Med., t. vii., the 
case of a young lady who resorted to the Persian Wash* to dye her hair 
black. The result was that her hair was not entirely blackened, but 
many parts of her skin took this colour, and the lady became a prey to 
headaches. 
Butini asserts that he has known acute meningitis caused by the ni- 
trate of silver applied to the hair. 
American Journal of the Med. Sciences. 
Pectic acid in gentian. — M. Bussy took 8 ounces of the root of the Gen- 
tiana lutea in rough powder, and poured over it 8 ounces of pure water. In 
a quarter of an hour, he placed the powder thus moistened in a suitable 
apparatus. He then poured pure water over it in small portions at a time, 
taking the precaution not to add any more until the first was absorbed. 
In the course of a few minutes, a very deep brown liquid, of a thick con- 
sistence and transparent aspect, strained through into the receiver. He 
continued the washing until he had obtained 12 ounces of the liquid ; 
when the colour became less deep, he changed the receiver and continued 
the washing, for which purpose 3 kilogrammes of water were employed. 
The powder possessed then an insipid taste and slight colour. In 12 
hours, the liquid in the first receiver had acquired the consistence of very 
firm jelly. It was completely soluble in a solution of carbonate of 
potash. From this solution it was precipitated in the form of a jelly by 
alcohol, sugar, &c, shewing that it was pectic acid. Bussy subsequently 
extracted it from gentian by the same process, followed by Braconnet in 
separating it from carrots. He suggests that the pectate of Soda in solu- 
tion may be substituted for eggs in clarifying sugar, and for gelatin in 
clearing wine, &c. — American Journal of the Med. Sciences, and Journ. de 
Pharm., June, 1836. 
Congelation of Mercury by Natural Cold. — Extracts from a minute of 
observations on freezing Mercury in the open air, made at Gardiner, Maine, 
January 28th and 29th, 1817.-— The whole of the day of the 28th, was 
intensely cold. At 2, P. M. the thermometer hanging on the wall of a 
house stood at — 6°. About sunset the wind subsided. 
A tray of charcoal was placed upon the end of a wharf projecting into 
the Kenebeck, nearly a hundred yards from any building or other elevated 
object. On this was placed a thermometer in a blackened tin case, and 
two phials each containing a small quantity of mercury, the lower half of 
each phial being blackened, and the phial a little raised from a horizontal 
position, so that the fluid might be within the blackened part. A similar 
phial of mercury was placed on the snow at a little distance; but as it un- 
derwent no change, no farther notice was taken of it. 
* This is a solution of 10 grs. nit. argent, in one oz. of water. 
