D. CHEMISTRY AND METALLURGY. 207 



ino- even violet when the lic^ht is reflected several times 

 upon the surfiice of the metal. 6 ^, 3fay 8, 1876. 



CONVEESION OF BRUCINE INTO STKYCHNINE. 



Sonnenschein has shown that brucine may be converted 

 into strychnine by the action of nitric acid, and calls atten- 

 tion to the fact that this discovery may be of practical in- 

 terest in toxicological investigations, since brucine might be 

 converted into strychnine in course of the examination. 

 35 (7, 1875, IV., 212. 



OLEANDRINE. 



It has Ions: been known that oleander leaves contain an 

 active poison, which was first examined by Lukowski in 

 1861. This body, oleandrine, has lately been reinvestigated 

 by BettellijWho obtained it in an imperfectly crystalline con- 

 dition. It is pale yellow, soluble in water, alcohol, ether, 

 chloroform, fusel-oil, and olive-oil. At 56 C. it softens, be- 

 comes a greenish liquid at about 70, and at 170 it under- 

 goes partial decomposition. Bettelli also succeeded in form- 

 ing the chlorhydrate of the alkaloid. 35 C, /September 27. 



BISULPHIDE OF CARBON AS AN ANTISEPTIC. 



Hugo Schiif calls attention to the remarkable antiseptic 

 properties of carbon disulphidc. A dissected frog, which 

 had served for physiological experiments, was sealed up in a 

 o'lass vessel, with a few cubic centimeters of the antiseptic, 

 as long ago as 1869 ; the specimen as yet shows no trace of 

 putrefaction. A similar trial with the entrails of poultry, 

 and another with a small lizard, have resulted likewise. 

 Two Jiundred grammes of beef, treated with bisulphide, re- 

 mained for months unaltered ; and then, after cooking, was 

 readily eaten by a dog. 35 C\ IX., 828. 



MANUFACTURE OF CARBOLIC ACID. 



The following process for separating carbolic acid from 

 the cresylic and other liquid tar acids Avas recently patented 

 by Lowe and Gill in England. The partially or wholly hy- 

 drated mixtures of tar acids are submitted for a sufficiently 

 prolonged time to a temperature varying between 15 and 

 56 Fahr. The carbolic acid crystals thus formed are sepa- 



