198 Biochemical News, Notes and Comnient [Sept. 



(London correspondent, Journal of the American Medical Associa- 

 tion, 19 12, lix, p. 663 : August 10). 



Detection of formaldehyde in foods. In view of the introduc- 

 tion of a mixture of nitrite and formaldehyde with the object of 

 masking the reactions of the latter when used as a food preserva- 

 tive, the following experiments may be of interest. A sample of 

 f resh mixture was divided into four portions and treated as follovvs : 

 (i) A small amount of commercial formaldehyde Solution was 

 added; (2) small amounts of formaldehyde and sodium nitrite were 

 added; (3) a small amount of sodium nitrite was added; (4) no 

 addition was made. Portions of each of these were tested with 

 Rimini's test (Phenylhydrazin hydrochlorid, sodium nitroprussid 

 and sodium hydroxid). Prompt reactions for formaldehyde were 

 obtained in i and 2; negative results in 3 and 4. Other portions 

 of the samples were tested with the well-known test for nitrite (sul- 

 fanilic acid and alphanaphthylamin) . The responses of 2 and 3 

 were prompt and distinct. No color was produced in i and 4. The 

 original mixtures were allowed to stand 24 hours at room tempera- 

 ture and the tests repeated with the same results as obtained at first. 

 It seems easy, therefore, to unmask nitrite and formaldehyde in the 

 presence of each other. Henry Leffmann. {Journal of Industriell 

 and Engineering Chemistry, 1912, iv, p. 626: August.) 



Joiirnalistic. With the September number Prof. A. R. Cushny, 

 of University College, London, becomes Joint editor with Prof. 

 John J. Abel, of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, of the Jour- 

 nal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. At the same 

 time, Sir T. Lauder Brunton, of London, Professors J. T. Cash, of 

 Aberdeen, W. E. Dixon, of Cambridge, J. A. Gunn, of Oxford, Sir 

 Thomas R. Fräser, of Edinburgh, J. N. Langley, of Cambridge, 

 C. R. Marshall, of the University of St. Andrews, R. Stockman, of 

 Glasgow, F. Ransom, of London and Dr. H. H. Dale, of London, 

 join the board of associate editors. By this arrangement the ablest 

 representatives of phannacology in Great Britain unite with the 

 American and Canadian colleagues in the conduct of the Journal and 

 the publishers feel confident that it will henceforth serve as the 

 medium of publication for the best pharmacological researches of the 



