522 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Adulteration of sumach, M. Spica (Gaz. Chim. Ital.,27 {1897), No. 1, pp. 349-358; 

 abs. in Jour. Chem. Soc. [London], 72 (1897), No. 420, IT, p. 530). 



Microchemical reaction for nitric acid, J. L. C. Schroeder van der Kolk 

 (Jahrb. Min., 1897, I, p. 219; ftbs. in Jour. Chem. Soc. [London], 72 (1897), No. 420, II, 

 p. 516). — "The substance to lie tested is placed with a drop of sulphuric acid iu the 

 hollow iu a glass slide, and from the cover glass hangs a drop of barium hydroxid 

 solution; when nitric acid is driven off, typical crystals of barium nitrate appear in 

 the drop on the cover glass. As the substance tested does not come in contact with 

 the barium solution, the presence of sulphates, phosphates, etc., does not affect the 

 result." 



Determination of nitric acid by means of formic aldehyde, and vice versa, 

 von Cotton (Expert. Pharm., 3. ser., 9 (1897), p. 450; abs. in Chem. Ztg., 21 (1897), No. 

 89, Repert., p. .'54). — Formic aldehyde and nitric acid decompose each other with the 

 formation of nitrogen and carbon dioxid, the reaction being quite rapid in concen- 

 trated solutions, but very slow in weak solutions. It is suggested that a method 

 for the determiuation of nitric acid may be based on this reaction, but it could be 

 applied with success only in comparatively concentrated solution. 



Nitric acid in river and reservoir 'water, T. Schlossing ( Ann. Sri. Agron., 1897, 

 II, No. 1, pp. 75-119, figs. 6). 



BOTANY. 



Lability and energy in relation to protoplasm, O. Loew (Imp. 

 Univ. Col. Agr. [Tokyo] Bui, vol. 3, No. 7, pp. 393-105).— The author 

 reviews the work of himself and others relative to some of the physio- 

 logical phenomena manifest by protoplasm. Some of the author's 

 discoveries relative to albumin, asparagin, aldehyde, and amido com- 

 pounds have been given elsewhere (E. S. K., 6, pp. Ill, 383). 



The author summarizes his theoretical views as follows : 



"(1) Albumin is formed by condensation of the still hypothetical aspartic aldehyde 

 which in plant cells either is produced from asparagin or built up of formic aldehyde 

 and ammonia. 



"(2) There is a chemical difference between the albumin of the living and that of 

 the dead protoplasm. 



"(3) The labile, active albumin leads by organization to living matter, as such, 

 and in the form of nuclein and nucleo-albumin. 



"(4) The lability of the albumin of the living protoplasm is caused by the pres- 

 ence of aldehyde and amido groups. 



"(5) The conversion of the albumin of the living to that of the dead protoplasm 

 presents a remarkable analogy to the change of a labile substance into a stable modi- 

 fication." 



The actual observations which tend to substantiate his hypotheses 

 are also given, as follows: 



''(1) There exist intimate physiological relations between asparagin and albumin; 

 the former is an excellent material for building up the latter. The formation of 

 albumin often takes place with great rapidity. 



"(2) The living protoplasm shows a chemical behavior totally different from that 

 of the dead. 



"(3) There frequently occurs in plants, as reserve material, a highly labile kind 

 of albumin of aldehyde character, whose chemical nature is altered by the same 

 influences as those by which the protoplasm is killed. 



"(4) Compounds which react upon aldehydes and such as react upon labile aniido- 

 groups with great energy are poisonous for all organisms. 



"(. r >) The transition of living protoplasm into dead is accompanied by contraction 

 and development of heat." 



