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C. U. C. P. ALUMNI JOURNAL 



Metol Manufacture. — M. W. S., New 

 York. — According to Paul (//. Soc. Ch. 

 Ind. 16-1897-463) metol can be made 

 by placing 250 grammes of para nitro- 

 phenol, 45 grammes of hydrochloric acid 

 (20° B.) and 500 mils of water in an 

 iron vessel, adding to the liquid in small 

 portions, 400 grammes of iron filings and 

 then boiling the mixture for one half 

 hour. Then extract, with 25 grammes 

 of sodium carbonate, dissolve in 2 liters 

 of water, the para-amido-phenol that is 

 produced. This product is then con- 

 verted into metol (methyl-para-amido- 

 phenol) by heating the hydrochloride 

 with methyl alcohol in an autoclave to 

 I50°-i6o° C. 



This sounds very easy ; but at this time 

 the problem is where to get the para- 

 nitro-phenol. We would not advise the 

 manufacture of it by any one unless he 

 has a large accident and life insurance. 



"Some Prescription."— B. R. S., New 

 York, asks us what we would do with 

 the following prescription : 



Calomel i/6th grain 



Heroin i/i6th grain 



Ammonium carbonate. 2 1/2 grains 



Caffeine citrate 2 grains 



Sparteine sulphate.... 1/4 grain 

 Make eight such powders. 



We hate to imagine what the ammon- 

 ium carbonate will do to the calomel as 

 well as to the sparteine sulphate. The only 

 chance is the freed liquid alkaloid will 

 be absorbed by the other powders and 

 that the reduction of the calomel to an 

 attenuated black wash will work no in- 

 jury upon the patient. Our querist says 

 it is a bad mess ; with which statement 

 we heartily agree. 



Sizing Paper. — A. H. S., New York. 

 — While your query is scarcely phar- 

 maceutical we gladly give the following 

 information gleaned from our library. 



"Casein is generally dissolved in am- 

 monia or in borax solution and is used 

 with or without formaldehyde. A very 

 superior paper glaze is thus made which 

 is used on glazed cardboard." (Sadt- 

 ler's Industrial Inorganic Chemistry, 

 page 293.) 



"Use a solution of gelatin to which 

 alum has been added. Occasionally soap 

 is added to the gelatin. When alum is 

 added to a solution of soap and gelatin, 

 the soap is decomposed and an infinitely 

 fine precipitate is produced which forms 

 with gelatin a kind of emulsion." 

 (Thorpe's Dictionary of Chemistry, page 



85.) 



"Sponnagel and Jacobson used boiled 

 linseed oil triturating it with 5 to 10 per 

 cent, of borax until an emulsion forms. 

 This is saturated with freshly precipi- 

 tated casein (frischen Kase) to a mass, 

 which is thinned out with water. The 

 fluid dried quickly giving a water-proof 

 coating." (Hager's Fabrikation des 

 Papiers, page 428.) 



Soy Bean Oil.— J. K. A., New York. 

 — This is the fixed oil expressed from 

 the seed of Dolechos soja, a plant that is 

 cultivated extensively in Manchuria and 

 Japan, where the beans are an import- 

 ant article of food. The oil is used 

 in the Orient as a food and as an il- 

 luminant. The physical and chemical 

 factors for the oil are: solidifying point; 

 8 to 15° ; saponification value about 192; 

 and iodine number 121 to 124. For fur- 

 ther details, the querist is referred to 

 Lewkowitsch's book on oils, which is 

 found in our library. 



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