Out of eighty known elements there are only four--carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen-that enter into the great majority of organic compounds. Carbon is essential to them all and it is this fact that leads the layman to suppose that an organic compound is a very simple thing, easily analyzed and quite as readily built up from its simple foundations. It is the difficulty in linking up the atoms that causes the trouble. For instance starch and cotton are both composed of the very same atoms in exactly the same proportions but are linked up in a different way in each substance. Fruit sugar and the acid which makes milk sour have the same formula, so even when the complex compounds are capable of analyses, their rebuilding is difficult as the atoms may unite in various ways and produce something different from what was desired. Taking starch as an example its chemical formula is C6H10O5, which is possible of forming 21,000 combinations, one of which would form starch. It can be readily understood how this problem leads into very deep waters.

Considerable experimenting has been carried out in Germany on the subject of synthetic foods. Prof. Abderhalden of Berlin has succeeded in keeping animals alive on food which he produced synthetically in his laboratory. This was done by the administration of the chemical constituents of the food in its simpler form instead of creating the actual food upon which they feed. The necessary fat was administered in the form of glycerine and sebatic acid, the carbo-hydrates in the form of synthetic sugar. The production of the indispensable albumen was an obstacle of some proportions as science is far from having succeeded in making albumen synthetically. Prof. Abderhalden worked on the basis of the known fact that the albumen taken as food is dissolved during digestion into its constituents and worked up again into cell albumen. He reasoned that if the constituents of albumen, which can be produced in the laboratory, were given as food, they would suffice. The experiments proved his assumption to be true. Such experiments as have been made have proved that everything necessary for the support of animal life can be synthetically produced from a half dozen elements.

It has recently been announced that milk has been synthetically produced. Many persons who were familiar with synthetical products in general were inclined to reject the feasibility of such a substance, saying, as is always the case with new discoveries, that it could not be the same as real milk. It is not likely that the present generation will see many food products prepared in the laboratory for the reason that such great changes appear in the form of an evolution rather than in revolution. This is amply illustrated in industrial life where we have the power loom for weaving invented over a hundred years ago, yet the hand loom is still in active use, and the oil lamp and candle still used in spite of the universal introduction of gas and electricity.

Pharmaceutical Research and Literature

A NEW ANTIDOTE FOR CORROSIVE SUBLIMATE POISONING.*

WILLIAM A. HALL, Ph. B.

With the publicity attending a fatal case of corrosive sublimate poisoning of a Southern banker a few months ago and as usually obtains following the detailed description of such events in the daily press, a marked increase in the use of that poison for suicidal purposes, the thought must have occurred to many, "How best to divert the public attention from this poison and what is an effective antidote?"

It is not for us to discuss the surgical methods used in a few cases after the poison has entered the circulation, but what can be done at the outset in the way of mechanical relief by means of the stomach pump and emesis, the administration of albumen and mucilage or oils to retard the absorption in the stomach and intestines.

These general points will all occur to the good practitioner but he wants something else on which he can rely as an antidote. Studying over these matters, about a year ago an idea came to me that by using one of the general alkaloidal reagents in reverse manner, we could solve the problem.

Obviously whatever was tried should be safe in itself, and not make a bad matter worse, and also the employment of medicines beneficial in themselves even if they failed in attaining the special object desired.

With such limitations I settled on the well known Mayers' Reagent which as you all know, is a solution of Mercuric Potassium Iodide, a general precipitant of the alkaloids. Selecting Quinine as the alkaloid to harness, I considered if we could administer the requisite potassium iodide and quinine in solution, after emptying the stomach, we could fill out Mayers' formula and the result would be (Mercuric Chloride-Potassium iodide--Quinine salt) insoluble in the acid gastric juice, and as will be shown later insoluble in the dilute alkaline intestinal liquids as certainly as we can tell from bottle reactions. While all my work was done in grammes, the results, excepting Mayers' formula itself are given in grains-the more popular term.

Mayers' reagent N 1/20 is

Mercuric Chloride.

Potassium Iodide....

Distilled water to make 1 Litre.

6.775 grammes

25.000 grammes

(You will notice the HgCl2 to KI is about 1 to 3.75)

1 c. c. Mayers' reagent N 1/20=

It is stated by authorities (U. S. D.) that Mayers' solution is HgI2+2KI, but on the basis of his proportions it would seem to be HgI2+4KI.

and the formula seems to provide a slight excess of potassium iodide

Potass, iodide

Mercuric Chloride 2. grains

Quinine muriate

4.9 grains

4. grains (2.91) Modified Mayers'

Slower in precipitating the quinine than Mayers' which in grains would call for

Mercuric Chloride

Potass. iodide

Quinine muriate

2. grains

The filtrates in both bases were free from mercury (H2S or K2S). The modified Mayer filtrate showed very slight test for iodine (HNO3+chloroform). Filtrate from Mayer tested a little stronger but still slight.

In both equations, however, there is no appreciable solvent action of the potassium iodide in solution on the precipitate which in Mayers' was 6.64 grains. Modified Mayers' 4.00 grains.

Choosing quinine hydrochlorate because of its solubility, the following formula was constructed:

Mix the two solutions which you observe contain acid to make the whole 2/10 of 1% and filter after two hours on a tared filter. Wash and dry to constant weight on the water bath.

To determine if a small excess of potassium iodide in presence of quinine muriate has an appreciable solvent action on the precipitate trial was made using

Net weight of precipitate dried on water bath to constant weight:

.210 gramme=3.24 grains

which is practically the same proportion and answers the question in the negative.

Filtrate evaporated to dryness in tared dish on water bath = 16.4 grains. Using the gravimetric factor .311 (Lyons) for the ALKALOID and calculating the salt from

2 grains Mercuric Chloride then in acid solution was precipitated as an insoluble

+

mass by 2.54 grs. QHCI+7.5 grs. Potass. Iodide in aqueous solution.

Gm. .200 of the alkaloidal precipitate was rubbed up with 250 c. c. 2/10 of 1% Na2CO3 solution, shaken vigorously at frequent intervals for several hours, filtered and residue on tared filter evaporated to dryness on water bath.

showing the maximum solvent action of the dilute alkali to have been 20 m. g. or less than 1/3 grain. As some of the Mercuric Antiseptic tablets on the market contain 1/3 of citric acid the action of that acid was considered, in presence of mercuric chloride on albumen solutions and also on the antidote described in this paper.

With the antidote no hindrance but rather a more complete precipitation was noted.

With albumen solutions the following reactions were observed:

SOLUTION OF ALBUMEN is precipitated by HgCl2 but this is prevented if an appreciable amount of citric acid is previously added to the mercury solution. MERCURIC CHLORIDE+HCl (1%) is precipitated by albumen, insoluble in excess of HCl and practically insoluble in citric acid (large excess).

MERCURIC CHLORIDE+CITRIC ACID is not precipitated by albumen except in rather large excess, but on further addition of dilute HCl (1%) a copious precipitate occurs. In case you have added a large excess of albumen there is no mercuric salt in the filtrate (H2S).

ALBUMEN (in excess) acidulated with 1% H Cl remains clear; but on further addition of 1% Mercuric Chloride solution a heavy precipitate falls. The filtrate shows a faint yellow coloration with H2S but no p. p. even on standing.

MERCURIC CHOLRIDE (1%) + HCl (1%) = No. p. p.

On further addition of albumen a heavy precipitate unchanged by adding H CI in excess.

MERCURIC CHLORIDE+ALBUMEN in excess, a light precipitate partially soluble at first in H Cl but precipitating again shortly.

MERCURIC CHLORIDE+CITRIC ACID is not precipitated at first, but adding ALBUMEN in large excess a precipitate falls and on further addition of H Cl a copious precipitate falls. No mercury in filtrate.

To sum up: Remove the stomach contents as thoroughly as possible, give plenty white of eggs and remove in the best way, then for every two (2) grains of Mercuric Chloride supposed to have been taken administer the following:

Potassium Iodide.............
Quinine Hydrochlorate..

7.35 grains .4. grains 4. ounces

Dissolved in water....

It forms a precipitate with the Mercuric Chloride, insoluble in dilute aids or alkali carbonates (.2%). While investigating these reactions I found another equation using 4.9 grains potassium iodide would work but the precipitation is not so rapid or complete, nor does the precipitate separate as quickly, an important point. A solution could be kept on hand ready for use of the formula above with the addition of H Cl to make it 2/10 of 1%.

The study and analyses of the subject are somewhat intricate and perplexing. especially as to the composition of the precipitate with Mayer's reagent but the results for our purpose seem clear, well defined and simple. The well known chemicals Quinine Muriate and Potassium Iodide are obtainable at any good drug store and with the proportions given, good results may be expected in accordance with my tests. A notable excess of the iodide is to be avoided, an excess of quinine does no harm but the proportion given should be followed.

It is to be hoped that these suggestions of the writer will be tried physiologically, and medical men use the results given in this paper to help solve a serious problem.

BOOK REVIEW.

The Art of Compounding. A text book for students and a reference book for pharmacists at the prescription counter by Wilbur L. Scoville. Fourth edition, revised and enlarged, with 76 illustrations. One vol., pp. XII, 390. Philadelphia. P. Blakiston's Son & Co., 1914. $3.00.

So often have we been told that the manufacturing pharmacist and the selfdispensing physician have ruined the prescription "trade" of the druggist, and that commercial pharmacy had to be on the ascendency because scientific pharmacy was but a fiction of college professors, that even the latter individual is surprised to learn of the demand for a fourth edition of a treatise on "The art of compounding." Yet such apparently is the fact. Though successful publishers may have taken pride in the publication, at a sacrifice, of old reprints; or of new, highly illustrated treatises e. g. on butterflies; the publication of a treatise on pharmacy, for the mere love of publication, has not come to the notice of the writer.

What is even more remarkable is that the author of the treatise under consideration is no longer one of those idealistic college professors, but the pharmaceutical investigator of one of our larger, realistic manufacturing concerns. We are even more dumbfounded when we read the preface to this last edition. Thus we are told in the introductory sentence that "The last decade has witnessed a marked increase of scientific interest in the prescription and its compounding in the United States." The author must have been stark mad when he wrote this sentence. Such a statement might represent a partial truth had it been made about the interest awakened in scientific pharmacy in the Philippines, or in such an out of the way old-world place