TRILENE TABLETS.

These tablets are advertised from an address in London, in boxes price 2s. 6d., containing 66 tablets.

Enclosed with the package was a little book containing testimonials, directions, etc., and also a small circular giving instructions as to diet, with the addition:

We desire to say that such precautions are not indispensable by any means, but we formulate the above for the guidance of those in whom any peculiarity of Constitution may render such care salutary, and to promote rapidity of cure.

The directions were:

Three of the tablets three times a day 10 minutes before meals, either dissolved on the tongue or taken as pills. (No change of diet being essential.)

It was also added:

The present supply lasts one week, in which time the weight begins to lessen, but a marked change in appearance naturally occupies several weeks to effect.

Two separate packages of the tablets were obtained for analysis at an interval of several weeks; in the first supply the tablets were of a dirty white colour and contained no dye, but in the second they were bright yellow, and contained a yellow dye, which appeared to be one of the coal-tar colours; the other ingredients were the same as those found on the first occasion. The average weight of one tablet was 0·9 grain, and they were found to contain 87 per cent. of sugar, 2·4 per cent. of moisture, and O·5 per cent. of ash; about three-quarters of the remainder was starch, principally potato starch, but with a little maize. The residual 2 or 3 per cent. was a gelatinous substance which showed no marked reactions or characters, and exhibited only traces of cell tissue when examined microscopically. Analysis of the ash showed it to contain sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium chloride, sulphate, and phosphate; these are the constant constituents of the ash of extract of Fucus vesiculosus; an aqueous extract of the tablets contained a small quantity of mucilage similar to that yielded by the same drug. By taking some Fucus vesiculosus in the wet state, pounding it to a pulp and boiling it, a material was obtained agreeing with the gelatinous substance from the tablets, and there appeared no ground for doubting the identity of the two. Careful search was made for alkaloids and other substances in small quantity, but without any being found. The formula thus became:

Fucus vesiculosus, in pulp  3per cent. (dry weight).
Starch7”
Sugar87”
Water3”
Yellow dyeq.s.

The estimated cost of the ingredients (66 tablets) is one-fortieth of a penny.