510 SCIENTIFIC EECORD FOR 1884. 



Antipyrine, by Ludwig Knorr. — lu the course of the author's re- 

 searches ou derivatives of chiniziiie, a hypothetical base having the con- 

 stitution — 



OH N^ NH 



HC 



HC 



CH 

 CH, 



CH CHj 



he discovered a body having notable antipyretic proi:)erities. This sub- 

 stance he calls antipyriue, and it is, in fact, dimethyloxychinizine. It 

 is very soluble and cau be used hypodermically. {Berichte d. chem.Ges.^ 

 XVII, 2032.) 



Perseite, a new Sugar, by A. Muntz and V. Marcano. — The fruit of 

 Laurus persea contains a sugar closely resembling mannite, and to which 

 the authors give the name ])erseite. Its formula is CeHnOe. It crystal- 

 lizes in small needles, melting at 183^.5 to 184°, and is very soluble in 

 warm water and in alcohol. It is without action on alkaline copper solu- 

 tions, is opticall^v inactive, and cannot be fermented by the aid of yeast. 



The ripe nuts of Laurus persea contain 6 to 8 per cent, of the sugar. 

 (Comptes rendtis, xcix, 38.) 



Synthesis of Umbelliferone and of Daphnetine, by H. von Pechmanu. — 

 In 1866 Zwenger and Sommer discovered in the bark of the spurge 

 laurel, and in the products of the dry distillation of the resins of um- 

 belliferous plants, a neutral body, to which they gave the name um- 

 belliferone. Later researches showed it to be paraoxycumarine — 



^O . CO 



OH . C6H3< 



^\CH = CH 



The author has made this synthetically by the action of resorcine on 

 malic acid. 



By the action of pyrogallol on malic acid the author obtained daph- 

 netine, a derivative of daphnine, a glucoside occurring in the spurge 

 laurel {Daphne mezereum). This synthesis proves it to be dioxycumarine ; 

 its identity with the natural product was fully established. Daphnine 

 is isomeric with sesculine, and further researches by the author are in 

 progress with a view to its synthesis. {Berichte d. cheni. Ges., xvii, 929.) 



On the Physiology of the Carbohydrates in the Animal System, by F. W 

 Pavy. — This inve(>tigation was undertaken with the object of ascertain- 

 ing the changes undergone by the four chief carbohydrate elements 

 of food, viz, grape sugar, cane sugar, lactine, and starch, during diges- 

 tion. Begiuniug with the stomach, the attempt is made to follow the 



