Abstracts from the French Journals.
Translated for the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY
THUJA OCCIDENTALIS.—Pointed condylomata—according to a recent discoverer writing in the Prat. Méd.—shrivel and fall off in two or three days if painted with the tincture of Thuja occidentalis. The remedy is said to be preferable to all others where excision cannot be made. In the Bull. Com., October, "E. F." finds that Thuja articulata was used thirty years ago for this purpose, and wonders why it has fallen into desuetude.
MYROBALANUS, the fruit of several species of Terminalia.an ancient remedy for intestinal affections, though long since disused in European countries—is receiving some attention of late on account of articles concerning it published in the Union Pharm., September, October, 1887, by Dr. Apéry, of Constantinople. He calls it "an heroic remedy against diarrhoea," and tells us that Dr. Ahmed Pacha prescribes it with great success. The pharmacists of the East sell it in large quantities under the name of Kara-halilé, or Indicher. The doctor's investigations were made upon M. nigrae, s. indicae, that variety being "the most energetic and having the greatest vogue." He found no alkaloid, but ascertained the presence of a green oleo-resinous substance which he believes to have an influence upon digestion and bile-secretion. This, together with tannin, which acts upon the intestines, leads the doctor to place the substance among the nutritive tonics and stimulants. A large number of doctors, who were led by him to test the substance, found it very effective in acute diarrheas of the aged and in infants, as also in intestinal catarrh in tuberculous patients. They also found it efficacious in hemorrhages, hemorrhoids and albuminuria. The doctor believes it to be the best remedy now used in the dysenteries, and acute and chronic choleriform diarrhoeas, which decimate the people of the Orient. The dose is from four to twelve pills, whose size is not given.. However useful myrobalanus may yet become as a medicine, it contains so enormous a quantity of tannin that a practical man reading these articles would be inclined to predict for it a still more brilliant success in the manufacture of writing fluids. Indeed, the investigator remarks: "It also makes a beautiful black ink, more stable than that from nut-galls."
The American Journal of Pharmacy, Vol. 59, 1887, was edited by John M. Maisch.
