No. 2, March, 1921] PHARMACOGNOSY 189 



PHARMACEUTICAL BOTANY AND PHARMACOGNOSY 



Heber W. Youngken, Editor 

 E. N. Gathercoal, Assistant Editor 



1276. Angerhausen, J. Oxalsaure in Rhabarber und die Entgiftung von Rhabarber- 

 zubereitungen. [Oxalic acid and the detoxification of rhubarb products,] Zeitschr. Unter- 

 such. Nahrungs-u. Genussmittel 39: 81-87. 1920. — In rhubarb malic, citric and oxalic acids 

 occur. The latter occurs in water soluble form in the leaves about twice as abundantly 

 as in the stalk. Compotes, marmalades, etc. to which the rhubarb leaves were added have 

 produced poisoning, especially in children. In adults 0.6 grams of free oxalic acid is said to 

 suffice to deprive the blood of its protecting calcium. 200 grams of rhubarb leaves may 

 contain 1.0 gram oxalic acid. In preparing rhubarb leaves one should add to the water 

 0.5-1 gram of calcium carbonate for every 100 grams rhubarb. Toxic effects are thus pre- 

 vented. — H. G. Barbour. 



1277. Angerhausen, J. tJber Saft aus Rhabarberstielen. [Juice from rhubarb stalks.] 

 Zeitschr. Untersuch. Nahrungs-u. Genussmittel 39: 122-130. 1920. — A detailed chemical 

 analysis. To de-acidify rhubarb juice, the addition of 0.25-0.35 per cent calcium carbonate 

 is suggested which also detoxifies by removal of oxalic acid. As a preservative, 10 per cent 

 alcohol or 0.25 per cent formic acid is suggested. — H. G. Barbour. 



1278. Atkinson, E. H. Weeds and their identification. New Zealand Jour. Agric. 20: 

 299-301. PI. 1. 1920.— See Bot. Absts. 7, Entry 12. 



1279. Bailey, E.M. Food products and drugs. 1919. Parti. Connecticut [New Haven] 

 Agric Exp. Sta. Bull. 219: 209-259. 1919. — The work comprises the results of food and drug 

 inspection for 1919, as required by State statute. — Henry Dorsey. 



1280. Cockayne, L. An economic investigation of the montane tussock-grassland of 

 New Zealand. New Zealand Jour. Agric. 20: 337-345. Fig. 1-7. 1920.— See Bot. Absts. 7, 

 Entries 600, 601. 



1281. GoRis, A., and Ch. ViscHNiAC. Caracteres et composition du Primeverose. [Char- 

 acteristics and composition of "primeverose."] Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. Paris 169: 871-873. 

 1919.— See Bot. Absts. 7, Entry 1311. 



1282. Greig-Smith, R. The germicidal activity of the Eucalyptus oils. Part 2. The 

 action of the oils in aqueous dilutions. Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales 44: 311-347. Text- 

 figs. 1-7. Tables 1-21. 1919. (See Bot. Absts. 5. Entry 801.) Eucalyptus oils are irregu- 

 lar in their action upon B. coli communis. Cineol begins to act in about one minute and a 

 half; phenol, used as a standard of comparison, acts instantly. The curves of cineol and 

 phenol cross in five minutes with a dilution of 1: 75 at 20°. The phenol-coefficient of cineol 

 in 15 minutes at 20° is 3.1, in 30 minutes 3.4; in 4 hours it declines to 2.8. Aromandendral is 

 the most active of the constituents of the oils, with a phenol-coefficient of 21.1 in 30 minutes. 

 Piperitone is the next most active. Pinene and sesquiterpene are low (0.8 to 0.5). The 

 rectified oils of E. cinerea and E. Smithii are more efficient than the crude oils; in the case 

 of the former this appeared to be due to the hydrolysis of the esters and subsequent oxida- 

 tion of alcohols to aldehydes. Treatment with alkali did not reduce the efficiency of the acid 

 rectified oils. Addition of acetic acid to crude oil doubled its germicidal powers in the course 

 of 3| months. (The addition of acid also increases germicidal activities in the case of phenol.) 

 This activity is proportional in the oils of E. cinera to the starch-iodide reaction and not 

 to acidity, but this is not true for the oils as a class. The rectified oil of E. polybractea is less 

 efficient than the crude oil. The oil of the Braidwood variety of E. Australiana, which grows 

 on high ridges is the best and cheapest disinfecting oil (phenol-coefficient 5.8 in 30 minutes), 

 the second best crude oil tested was that from E. cneorifolia (4.8 to 30 minutes). — Eloise 

 Gerry. 



