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Annotations.

THE TOXICITY OF TOBACCO SMOKE.

"Ne quid nimis."

SOME years ago we pointed out in these columns thattobacco smoke contained quite a large proportion of the ,,

poisonous gas carbon monoxide. If a mere mouthful oftobacco smoke be blown upon a dilute solution of blood a’pink colouration at once appears which is characteristic ofthe compound formed when carbon monoxide unites with

hasmoglobin and spoils its healthy function. Subsei. ’,quently it has been shown that the proportion of carbonmonoxide in tobacco smoke is considerable, and it is a ques- i

tion whether nicotine can be held to be responsible at all forthe symptoms summed up in the words ’I tobacco-smokepoisoning."

" At all events, it is well known that thoughnicotine exists in tobacco yet a very small proportionof it appears in the tobacco smoke. Undoubtedly thereare poisonous oils present, chief of which is pyridin.Pyridin apart, however, it is certain that one of the

abundant products of combustion (or rather of incom-

plete combustion which the production of smoke implies)is the poisonous gas carbon monoxide. It has been

calculated in practical experiments that one ounce of tobaccowhen smoked in the form of cigarettes gives as muchas from one pint to four pints of carbon monoxide

gas, while the same amount of tobacco smoked in a

pipe gives from two and a quarter to five pints of

the gas. So far it would appear that the pipe oughtto be more pernicious than the cigarette if it were not Ifor the fact that it is practically only with the cigarette ’,that inhalation of the smoke is indulged in. The symptoms ofcarbon monoxide poisoning resemble in a noteworthy mannerthe symptoms of tobacco-smoke poisoning. The excessivesmoker often develops, for example, a tendency to dizzinessand shortness of breath on exertion ; there are evidencesalso of heart disturbance, and he is troubled often enoughwith palpitation, or, at least, a consciousness of the

heart’s beating, and the senses, power of judgmentand of movement are frequently impaired. In some

respects the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoningresemble those produced by an immoderate or chronic

indulgence in alcohol. There can be little doubt, therefore,that the association of smoke and drink is a poisonous one, ’,both conspiring to bring about similar toxic effects. When ’,we consider the quite large amount of carbon monoxide Ipresent in tobacco smoke, and compare with this fact

that as little as 0 17 per cent. of the gas in the

air is fatal to animals, though usually 0’4 per cent.

is required, and that anything above 0 15 per cent.

is regarded as distinctly dangerous, it is obviously withinthe bounds of probability that tobacco smoke can be veryharmful on account merely of this gaseous constituent. Ifthat is so, what a serious complexion does the habit of ’,inhaling tobacco smoke assume, in which procedure the smokeand the carbon monoxide contained in it are introduced

directly into the circulatory system. These facts call forth

also an interesting reflection on the headache and drowsyand stupid feelings of the person who has been shut up in aI I smoker " on the railway train or in the badly-ventilatedatmosphere of the smoking-concert room.

SOME AMERICAN PROPRIETARY REMEDIES.

AT the recent annual meeting of the American MedicalAssociation at Chicago an interesting exhibit was given bythe Bureau of Chemistry, Washington. It consisted of

samples of packages of a number of medicinal preparations

which have been examined by the chemists in the bureau,with brief analytical notes. Of the so-called prescriptionproprietaries Kargon Compound and Marmola were shown ;.of these the former was found to contain fluid extract of

buchu, potassium acetate,:meth.yl salicylate, and sugar, whilethe latter consisted of thyroid glands, powdered senna,extract of poke root, extract of bladder wrack, citric acid,and sugar. A dentition syrup for ’babies sold under thename Espey’s Syrup’ was found to contain cocaine ; the

printed label bore a statement to the effect that half a grainof cocaine muriate was present: A preparation known as.Make-man Tablets, which is extensively pushed in the UnitedStates, gave evidence of the presence of iron, arsenic,valerianic acid, and hops. A French remedy, Mixture Anti-diabetique (Martin) appeared to consist of apricot kernel oil,and an "anti-gonococcide," known as Serum Bautier,was found to be not a ’serum at all but a solutionof magnesium iodo-phenol sulphonate. Goat Lymph Tabletswere found to contain strychnine phosphate, zinc sulphide,extract of muira puama, avenin, and cannabin. Another

preparation, styled East Indian Consumption Cure, whichclaimed to contain cannabis indica as the chief constituent,actually consisted of cinchona bark, opium, ipecacuanha,and Rochelle salts. Liquids labelled Blue and Red Elecl>

tricity, made in Italy, apparently contained nothing morethan ordinary tap-water. Many preparations were shownabout which extravagant claims have been made by the pro-prietors. Of these, Asandrin appears to be a perfumedsolution of quinine sulphate with precipitated sulphur; ;.Compound Quinoleum, a mixture of the tinctures of

capsicum, cantharides, and cinchona with resorcin ; Egg-0*Tone consists largely of Epsom salts and borax with a littlesulphate of quinine; Toris Root Compound is a mixtureof sodium salicylate, potassium nitrate, and sugar; and

Cotandin Compound consists principally of cascara sagrada,hydrochloric acid, and water.

CONVERSAZIONE AT THE ROYAL COLLEGE OFPHYSICIANS OF LONDON.

ON July 2nd a conversazione was held at the RoyalCollege of Physicians of London, Pall Mall East, when thePresident, Sir Richard Douglas Powell; the Censors, Dr. D.Ferrier, Dr. J. Mitchell Bruce, Sir T. Clifford Allbutt, andDr. J. F. Goodhart; the Treasurer, Sir Dyce Duckworth ; theRegistrar, Dr. Edward Liveing; the Librarian, Dr. J. F.

Payne ; and a number of Fellows, including Dr. F. W. Pavy,Sir Lauder Brunton, Sir James Reid, and Sir Felix Semon,were present to entertain a number of guests. Among thoseaccepting invitations were the Archdeacon of London, theVice-Chancellor and the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine ofthe University of London, the Vicar of St. Martin’s-in-the-

Fields, the President and Vice-Presidents of the Royal College we

of Surgeons of England, the President of the Medical Society,the President of the Royal Society of Medicine, the Treasurersof the Hon. Societies of the Middle Temple and of Lincoln’sInn, Professor Sir E. Ray Lankester, the President ofthe British Medical Association, the Director of the

Lister Institute, Surgeon-General A. M. Branfoot, Mr.A. Denman, and a large number of Licentiates. Invita-

tions were sent to all Licentiates of the College who

obtained their diplomas prior to the year 1893. Duringthe evening the band of the Royal Artillery playeda well-chosen programme of music, while the collectionof pictures in the College, itself a noteworthy one,was reinforced by works of art lent for exhibition

by Sir Charles Holroyd, Sir John Scott, Mr. Alfred

Parsons, Messrs. Dunthorne, Messrs. Colnaghi, and variousFellows of the College, Sir Thomas Barlow, Dr. NormanMoore, Dr. T. Buzzard, Dr. Ferrier, Dr. Seymour Taylor, Sir