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CHEMISTRY, PHARMACY, AND MATERIA MEDICA.
737 the still more serious error was to treat the first patient for a ration, becomes of a light vinous yellow colour, with a powerful disease which existed but in name. Another striking defect, odour and taste of myrrh. This may be termed myrrhole. Myrrh about two per cent. of this oil. which constantly presents itself, is a tendency to find fault with yields The resinous matter left after evaporating the alcoholic solution, others ;-the author alone is correct in his views, and in his amounts to about 44 per cent. This resin is of a reddish-brown practice. He is ignorant of what has been previously written colour, its insoluble in ether, acetic and sulphuric acids, and parcaustic potash and alcohol. lIuriatic acid leaves a tially so on the subject which he has treated at so great length :-Had he flocculent turbid solution. Its melting point is between 1940 and been better informed he would have written less. There is a 203°. It is obviously a neutral resin, and may be called myrrhine. Acted on by heat, nayrrhirae becomes converted into an acid quackishness, too, in the character of the book. The author says"The chief object of this work is to call the attention, not resin, 7nyrrhic acid. The analysis of myrrh, therefore, gives in 100 partsonly of medical men, but of all persons who may be interested in the matter, to the investigation of the mode of treatment, &c."
Again, we find the "attention of parents," (and why not guardians ?) "expressly called to the work." It will be seen, from the preceding remarks, that our censure is
not
not
sweeping.
There is
some
merit in the volume, and it is men interested in the
unworthy of the perusal of medical
treatment of
children’s diseases.
CHEMISTRY, PHARMACY, MATERIA To the Editor
of
AND
MEDICA.
THE LANCET.
CONDENSED MAGNESIA.
SIR,—A paragraph appears
ing the methods
of
in THE LANCET of June 14, respect -
preparing heavy magnesia, calcined and car-
editor,
It is stated, in a note by the that he suspects the made by pressure objectionable, and it may be so.* But the heavy carbonate of magnesia, or concentrated magnesia, as some call it, is a most valuable preparation, quickly acted on by weak acids, and so perfectly miscible with water, that even by the simple stirring with a teaspoon it becomes as smooth as milk. This being the fact, it is important to prevent confusion as regards the substances, by using the same terms to dissimilar
bonate.
preparations
METALLIC SALTS DECOMPOSED BY CHARCOAL.
M. Chevalier, in experimenting with vegetable and animal charcoal, finds that they decompose acetate and nitrate of lead in solution, whether in water, wine, alcohol, or acetic acid, even at ordinary temperatures, but more rapidly with the assistance of heat. If acetate or nit-ate of lead be distilledwith water and charcoal, free acetic acid or nitric acid is obtained. A solution of one of these salts, dissolved in orange-flower water, is wholly deprived of its lead bv allowing it to stand on charcoal, either animal or vegetable, the charcoal being from ten to twenty times the amount of the lead-salt. In decolouring organic fluids by means of charcoal, as in medico-legal inquiries, this property of charcoal may cause the poison to be overlooked.—Comptes Rendus.
preparations.
Dr. EGAN gives the following summary of the results of his employed in making the heavy carbonate, told me accomplished by throwing together the solutions of experience at the Westmorland Lock Hospital, Dublin, in the sulphate of magnesia and carbonate of soda at a very high temDIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF SYPHILITIC DISEASES. perature; the double-elective attraction IS proportionately rapid, and the precipitated carbonate of magnesia fine and dense. " 1st. I have observed the simple superficial ulcer, unattended Your obedient servant, W. P. with indurated margin or base, give rise to a papular eruption, Bristol, June gth, 1845. pains resembling rheumatism, increased vascularity of the throat, MYRRH. This substance, according to Ehrenberg, is derived from the generally accompanied with enlarged tonsils. In this form I balsamodendron myrrha. It exudes as an oily juice from the bark, have never witnessed the occurrence of rupia, nodes, or ulceraand hardens, on exposure to the air, at the same time acquiring tion of the back of the pharynx: in this class, which were for colour. As it is transmitted by way of Cairo, there is but one the most part treated without mercury, constitutional symptoms commercial kind, a mixture of good and bad. In the European far more frequently, but were of a milder description than occurred it markets has been sorted, and three kinds are known :-1. Elect myrrh ; 2. Natural myrrh, or in sorts; 3. Indian, or new myrrh. in those where the opposite plan of treatment was adopted. The first consists of the best fragments picked from the mass, When topical applications fail, mercury is resorted to for the purlarge and small, tear shaped and angular, varying in colour from pose of accomplishing a cure. yellow to a dark brown. Its specific gravity, according to "2ndly. That strong presumptive evidence has been afforded, Martius, is 1.360. The peculiar odour and taste of myrrh are the matter of gonorrhoea, in its incipient stage, is capable of that The kind not well known. second only contains all the impurities and worst parts of the original packages, but is further producing a mild form of secondary symptoms; but not having sophisticated with gum arable, cherry-tree gum moistened with been able to substantiate this opinion by the process of inoculatincture of myrrh, and bdellium. The third kind occurs in large, irregular fragments, brown, or nearly black, and very bitter. tion, I cannot, as far as my experience goes, lay it down as an Martius describes a fourth kind, which he calls myrrhse alba, ascertained fact. the fragments of which resemble gum ammoniacum, being tear’° 3rdly. That the excavated ulcer with indurated margins and shaped, with a conchoidal fracture. Pure myrrh seems to con- base, commonly described as the Hunterian chancre, has, in my tain about one and a half per cent. of water, and when burnt, leaves three and a half per cent. of white ash, consisting of car- limited number of cases, been succeeded by a scaly eruption and bonate of lime, carbonate of magnesia, sulphate of lime, and per- excavated ulcers of the tonsils; and that in those cases alone oxide of iron. Brandes and Braconnot fbund potash and phos- mercury deserves the name of a specific. A person
that it is
’
acid. When myrrh is treated with alcohol of s. g. 0.831 at 60° Fah., and the residue dried, this is a yellowish whte mass pulverizable, with a faint smell and taste of myrrh. It contains no starch, but dissolves in hot or cold water; the filtered solution leaves a resinous matter on the filter, and when evaporated, yields a gum closely analogous to gum arabic, to the amount of about 40 per
phoric
cent. of the
myrrh employed. distilling the alcoholic solution, an oily or balsamic fluid is obtained, which, when purified by repeated solutions and evapoOn
*
We intended our remarks to
apply to
the calcined
magnesia only.—ED.
phagedsonic ulcer, where it has existed ab its characters to any peculiarity of constitua specific virus, as is evinced in the dissimilarity and of inveteracy the secondary and tertiary symptoms; and that in such cases mercury is decidedly injurious. And, lastly, that all the secondary forms of syphilis, with the exception of iritis, are curable without the aid of mercury; the cure, however, is much more protracted, but relapses far less frequent." Dublin "4th!y.
initio, does tion, but to
That the not owe
-
Journal.
Again, we find the "attention of parents," (and why not guardians ?) "expressly called to the work." It will be seen, from the preceding remarks, that our censure is
not
not
sweeping.
There is
some
merit in the volume, and it is men interested in the
unworthy of the perusal of medical
treatment of
children’s diseases.
CHEMISTRY, PHARMACY, MATERIA To the Editor
of
AND
MEDICA.
THE LANCET.
CONDENSED MAGNESIA.
SIR,—A paragraph appears
ing the methods
of
in THE LANCET of June 14, respect -
preparing heavy magnesia, calcined and car-
editor,
It is stated, in a note by the that he suspects the made by pressure objectionable, and it may be so.* But the heavy carbonate of magnesia, or concentrated magnesia, as some call it, is a most valuable preparation, quickly acted on by weak acids, and so perfectly miscible with water, that even by the simple stirring with a teaspoon it becomes as smooth as milk. This being the fact, it is important to prevent confusion as regards the substances, by using the same terms to dissimilar
bonate.
preparations
METALLIC SALTS DECOMPOSED BY CHARCOAL.
M. Chevalier, in experimenting with vegetable and animal charcoal, finds that they decompose acetate and nitrate of lead in solution, whether in water, wine, alcohol, or acetic acid, even at ordinary temperatures, but more rapidly with the assistance of heat. If acetate or nit-ate of lead be distilledwith water and charcoal, free acetic acid or nitric acid is obtained. A solution of one of these salts, dissolved in orange-flower water, is wholly deprived of its lead bv allowing it to stand on charcoal, either animal or vegetable, the charcoal being from ten to twenty times the amount of the lead-salt. In decolouring organic fluids by means of charcoal, as in medico-legal inquiries, this property of charcoal may cause the poison to be overlooked.—Comptes Rendus.
preparations.
Dr. EGAN gives the following summary of the results of his employed in making the heavy carbonate, told me accomplished by throwing together the solutions of experience at the Westmorland Lock Hospital, Dublin, in the sulphate of magnesia and carbonate of soda at a very high temDIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF SYPHILITIC DISEASES. perature; the double-elective attraction IS proportionately rapid, and the precipitated carbonate of magnesia fine and dense. " 1st. I have observed the simple superficial ulcer, unattended Your obedient servant, W. P. with indurated margin or base, give rise to a papular eruption, Bristol, June gth, 1845. pains resembling rheumatism, increased vascularity of the throat, MYRRH. This substance, according to Ehrenberg, is derived from the generally accompanied with enlarged tonsils. In this form I balsamodendron myrrha. It exudes as an oily juice from the bark, have never witnessed the occurrence of rupia, nodes, or ulceraand hardens, on exposure to the air, at the same time acquiring tion of the back of the pharynx: in this class, which were for colour. As it is transmitted by way of Cairo, there is but one the most part treated without mercury, constitutional symptoms commercial kind, a mixture of good and bad. In the European far more frequently, but were of a milder description than occurred it markets has been sorted, and three kinds are known :-1. Elect myrrh ; 2. Natural myrrh, or in sorts; 3. Indian, or new myrrh. in those where the opposite plan of treatment was adopted. The first consists of the best fragments picked from the mass, When topical applications fail, mercury is resorted to for the purlarge and small, tear shaped and angular, varying in colour from pose of accomplishing a cure. yellow to a dark brown. Its specific gravity, according to "2ndly. That strong presumptive evidence has been afforded, Martius, is 1.360. The peculiar odour and taste of myrrh are the matter of gonorrhoea, in its incipient stage, is capable of that The kind not well known. second only contains all the impurities and worst parts of the original packages, but is further producing a mild form of secondary symptoms; but not having sophisticated with gum arable, cherry-tree gum moistened with been able to substantiate this opinion by the process of inoculatincture of myrrh, and bdellium. The third kind occurs in large, irregular fragments, brown, or nearly black, and very bitter. tion, I cannot, as far as my experience goes, lay it down as an Martius describes a fourth kind, which he calls myrrhse alba, ascertained fact. the fragments of which resemble gum ammoniacum, being tear’° 3rdly. That the excavated ulcer with indurated margins and shaped, with a conchoidal fracture. Pure myrrh seems to con- base, commonly described as the Hunterian chancre, has, in my tain about one and a half per cent. of water, and when burnt, leaves three and a half per cent. of white ash, consisting of car- limited number of cases, been succeeded by a scaly eruption and bonate of lime, carbonate of magnesia, sulphate of lime, and per- excavated ulcers of the tonsils; and that in those cases alone oxide of iron. Brandes and Braconnot fbund potash and phos- mercury deserves the name of a specific. A person
that it is
’
acid. When myrrh is treated with alcohol of s. g. 0.831 at 60° Fah., and the residue dried, this is a yellowish whte mass pulverizable, with a faint smell and taste of myrrh. It contains no starch, but dissolves in hot or cold water; the filtered solution leaves a resinous matter on the filter, and when evaporated, yields a gum closely analogous to gum arabic, to the amount of about 40 per
phoric
cent. of the
myrrh employed. distilling the alcoholic solution, an oily or balsamic fluid is obtained, which, when purified by repeated solutions and evapoOn
*
We intended our remarks to
apply to
the calcined
magnesia only.—ED.
phagedsonic ulcer, where it has existed ab its characters to any peculiarity of constitua specific virus, as is evinced in the dissimilarity and of inveteracy the secondary and tertiary symptoms; and that in such cases mercury is decidedly injurious. And, lastly, that all the secondary forms of syphilis, with the exception of iritis, are curable without the aid of mercury; the cure, however, is much more protracted, but relapses far less frequent." Dublin "4th!y.
initio, does tion, but to
That the not owe
-
Journal.