Varieties.

ARBUTIN.—Dr. H. Meuche, in "Centralblatt für. Klin. Med.," finds that it acts in many cases as a valuable diuretic. Large doses may be taken without any ill effects. It passes in the urine partly in the form of hydrochinon, which is closely allied chemically to phenol. Urine containing hydrochinon becomes, by standing, of an olive-green color, just as happens in carboluria. Arbutin is of service in urethritis even of a specific nature. Brieger has employed a solution of hydrochinon as an injection in gonorrhoea, but the internal administration would seem to answer the same purpose. Arbutin is a glucoside, and occurs as fine white stable acicular crystals, soluble in water, of neutral reaction, odorless, and of slightly bitter taste. The best mode of administration is in the form of powder dissolved in a tablespoonful of water. Patients do not complain of its taste.—Louisv. Med. News.

THE ACTION OF QUEBRACHO.—A number of experiments, chiefly by Italian and Spanish physicians, which we find recorded in our foreign exchanges, satisfactorily show that quebracho and its alkaloids aspidospermine and quebrachine act with positive effect in reducing the action of the heart and relieving many cases of dyspnoea. Mariani considers it the only agent known which exerts a specifically anti-dyspnoeic action by itself. He finds its exhibition very beneficial both in asthmatic and nervous dyspnoea and that which accompanies inflammatory pulmonic affections. Its action on the heart is decided enough to reduce its pulsations twenty in the minute.—Med. and Surg. Reporter, Dec. 8, 1883.

The American Journal of Pharmacy, Vol. 56, 1884, was edited by John M. Maisch.