THE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY. 69 



Salicylic acid and wiutergreen oil were found to retard peptic digestion in 

 a less degree, but both peptic and pancreatic digestion proceeded normally 

 in the presence of essence of peppermint, chrysoidine, salfranine, or methy- 

 lene-blne. 



The Phenylhydrazin Test and its Adaptability for the Detection 

 of Sugar in the Urine. — Dr. Erik Holmgren (Upsala lakareforen. fork., 

 N. F. II., 189?) conducted experiments for the purpose of comparing the 

 delicacy of Almen's (bismuth) and the phenylhydrazin tests, and to de- 

 termine how far normal urine, which, according to recent researches, al- 

 v^ays contains some grape-sugar, gives positive evidence with the phenyl- 

 hydrazin test. His experiments showed, first, that the phenylhydrazin test' 

 is decidedly more delicate than Almen's test. While less than 0.05-0.04 

 per cent, sugar could not be detected with the latter, the former still gave 

 a distinct reaction with this amount. In the phenylhydrazin test a sugar- 

 content of 3:100000 water gave, after a short time, a distinct macroscopic 

 precipitate of glyeosa/on crystals; a solution of 1:100000 gave a precipitate 

 which could not be demonstrated by the microscope; indeed, with strong 

 magnification, the author could still detect glycosazon crystals in a solution 

 of 1:300000. The phenylhydrazen test, therefore, is the most delicate test 

 for grape-sugar. 



Of disturbing influences, the anther noted that alkaline reaction dis- 

 turbs the result, and that great concentration of the urine appears to re- 

 quire larger amounts of the reagent in order to obtain the best results. The 

 age of the individuals from whom the urines were obtained did not appear 

 to exert any influence: but it appeared to the author as if the urine of per- 

 sons engaged in muscular labor contained more crystals than that obtained 

 from those engaged in mental labor. 



In determining with absolute certainty the presence of sugar by means 

 •of the phenylhydrazin test, the miscroscopic demonstration of the crystals 

 does not suffice; on the contrary, the melting point of the crystals must be 

 obtained, which for the osazon of grape-sugar is 205 degrees C. The au- 

 thor determined the melting point of the crystals obtained from normal 

 nrine and found that the carbohydrates which enter the urine under nor- 

 mal conditions probably consist, to no small amount, of pentoses. The 

 author thinks that the fact that snch numerous and typical osazon crystals 

 are found in the urine of perfectly healthy individuals as to make it doubt- 

 ful whether the urine is really normal or not, as well as the necessary, diffi- 

 cult and time-robbing confirmation of the evidence as to whether grape- 

 sugar is present or not. renders the phenylhydrazin test inapplicable in 

 ordinary practice. , 



Facts Concerning: the Chemistry of Chlorophyll and Hemogolobin 

 —In the course of an address at the sixteenth annual meeting of the So- 

 ciety of Chemical Industrv, held in Manchester on July 14, 1897, the Presi- 



