Quinine Phytinate.—Anhydro oxymethylene diphosphate of quinine occurs as a yellow powder, very soluble in water but almost insoluble in alcohol, ether, benzin or chloroform. The substance contains 57 per cent. of quinine and has an intensely bitter taste.
Scarlatin Marpman is an antitoxin preparation that, given internally, is being used as a prophylactic for scarlet fever. It is said to be produced by inoculating animals with infectious material from scarlet fever patients and inoculating other animals with the serum taken from the first. The serum from the blood of the second animal is used to immunize other animals, and it is from these immunized animals that the antitoxin serum is prepared.
Scarlatin is a yellowish, opalescent liquid having a slight odor and a salty taste. The substance has a specific gravity of from 1·012 to 1·013, is neutral in reaction and gives a copious precipitate with reagents for albumin. (Phar. Centralh., 1907, page 69.)
Solubility of Salicin.—D. B. Dott (Phar. Jour., 1907, page 79) finds that the solubility of salicin, as given in the British Pharmacopœia (1 in 28) is practically correct, while that of the U. S. P. (1 in 21 at 25° C.) is too high.
Using pure salicin, that melted at 201° C., he finds that it has a solubility of 1 in 24 at 25° C., or very nearly that called for by the British Pharmacopœia at ordinary temperatures.
Substitutes for Cocaine.—Dr. Hugo Wintersteiner (Wiener Mea. Wochensch., 1906, page 1339) reports a comprehensive comparative study of the use of cocaine and its various substitutes in eye work. Of the numerous substances that have been proposed from time to time he describes tropococain, holocain, eucain, stovain, alypin and novocain at some length and concludes that while it is true that these substances are relatively more stable than cocain, and are therefore more readily sterilized, the numerous objectionable features, such as unreliability, irritating properties and the production of a hyperemia, are so much more objectionable that cocaine must be admitted to be by far the most satisfactory as well as the safest local anesthetic in all varieties of eye work.
Tannisol is a reddish-brown, odorless and tasteless powder that is insoluble in water, ether or benzine, but is soluble in alcohol and in dilute solutions of alkalies or of the alkaline carbonates. It is directed to be used internally in cases of intestinal catarrh, and externally for a variety of inflammatory conditions of the skin. Internally it may be given in doses of 0·50 gramme (Phar. Centralh., 1906, page 1006).
Theolactin.—This name has been applied to a double salt of theobromin sodium and sodium lactate. It occurs as a white hygroscopic powder, readily soluble in water and having a distinctly bitter taste. It is said to be an active diuretic, but is not free from occasional side effects in the form of gastric disturbances. (Phar. Zeit., 1907, page 49.)
Tinctura olea Europeae.—A tincture made with 60 per cent. alcohol from the dried leaves of the European olive has been used as a febrifuge as well as a general tonic in place of the tincture of cinchona bark.
Triacetyl morphin.—This substance has been isolated from a mixture of acetyl derivatives of morphin. Triacetyl morphin melts at from 206 to 208° C., is only slightly soluble in water or cold alcohol, but is readily soluble in acids. With hydrochloric acid it forms a salt that crystallizes in the form of long needles. (Phar. Centralh., 1906, page 928.)