It is not unfrequently considered important to test urine for the sodium salts of the conjugate biliary acids, taurocholic and glycocholic. Dr. Oliver, of Harrogate, has proposed the use of an acidulated peptone solution for this purpose, and the reaction is undoubtedly a good one. The reagent is prepared by dissolving 30 grains of flesh peptone, 4 grains of salicylic acid, and 30 minims of strong acetic acid, in sufficient water to produce 8 fluid oz. of solution. Thus prepared, the peptone shows no signs of decomposition on keeping. To use the test, mix 1 fluid drachm of the reagent with 20 minims of urine, previously diluted to a standard specific gravity of 1.003. A haze is produced, which will be found to be more or less distinct, according to the proportion of bile salts present. CHLORIDES. A normal and variable constituent of urine, chlorine, is not usually required to be determined. Should the estimation be considered necessary, however, Volhard's silver process, which has been noticed in treating of uric acid, possesses several advantages over other methods: 10 c.c. of urine are diluted with 60 c.c. of distilled water. To this is added 2 c.c. of pure 70 percent. nitric acid and 15 c.c. of a standard solution of silver nitrate (1 c.c. = 0.01 gramme NaCl). Shake well and make up to 100 c.c. with water. All the chlorine present will now be precipitated in the liquid as a silver salt. Filter an aliquot part (about 70 or 80 c.c.), and determine in the clear solution the excess of silver with standard ammonic thiocyanate, using the ferric alum indicator. The difference between this and the amount of silver originally present in the aliquot part has been precipitated as silver chloride (AgCl). The whole estimation should be conducted as rapidly as possible. A simple calculation will then give the proportion of chlorine in the dilute urine, and this multiplied by ten shows the percentage. It is usual to report in terms of NaCl. PHOSPHATES. In those cases where the pharmacist is asked to determine phosphoric acid quantitatively, the uranic-acetate method described in Sutton's "Volumetric Analysis" yields the most satisfactory results. The process requires some little experience to use it with ease, and is too lengthy for quotation here. MICROSCOPICAL EXAMINATION. A good microscope is one of the first necessaries of the urinary analyst. By its aid it is possible to distinguish easily many solid constituents of urine--normal and pathological; indeed, the examination of urinary deposits is often quite as important as the more elaborate wet analysis. A well-made instrument is no luxury to the pharmacist; but even those whose chief aim is _bon marche_ can procure capital students' microscopes at exceedingly low cost. One of the cheapest, and at the same time an instrument of good quality, is the "Star," manufactured by Messrs. R. & J. Beck, of 31 Cornhill, E.C.