CHEMISTRY. 521 



The author di'scusses the important bearing: of this discovery on tho 

 theory that petroleum is produced by moderate heat on vegetable 

 matter. {Chem. Xeivs, xlix, 05.) 



Synthesis of AnthracMnoline, by C. Graebe. — By hcatiug a mixture of 

 anthramiue with nitrobenzol, glycerine, and suli>huric acid the author 

 obtained au anthrachinoline, having a melting point of 17^ and identical 

 with that from alizarine blue. This synthesis confirms the author's views 

 concerning the constitution of anthrachinoline, which is shown in the 

 formula : 



CH 



CH =CH 

 {Berichte d. chem. Ges., xvii, 170.) 



Synthesis of Piperidine, by A. Ladenburg and C F. Roth. — By the 

 action of sodium in alcoholic solution on pyridine the authors obtained 

 a base having all the properties of piperidine. Piperidiue was first 

 obtained by Wertheim and Rochleder from the piperine discovered by 

 Oersted (1819) in long and black pepper. Its formula is C5H10 . HN. 

 Pyridine (C5H5N) was discovered by Anderson in bone-oil, and after- 

 wards established as a constituent of coal naphtha. The indentity of 

 the artificial product with that of pei^per was fully established. {Ber- 

 ichte d. chem. Ges., xvii, 514.) 



Fluid Hydrocarbons obtained by Compression of Petroleum Gas, by Gre- 

 ville Williams. — When the gaseous hydrocarbons obtained by subjecting 

 petroleum to a high temi^erature are compressed into cylinders (for the 

 purpose of lighting railway' cars), a volatile flnid is condensed contain- 

 ing benzene, toluene, and certain oleflnes. Seven specimens pf the liquid 

 gave percentages of benzene and toluene from G5.G to 24.C. ( Chem. IfeicSj 

 XLIX, 197.) 



Anthracene in the Tar of Water- Gas.— Dv. Arthur H.Elliott has estab- 

 lished the presence of anthracene in the tar of water-gas. That so 

 heavy a hydrocarbon should result from the destructive distillation of 

 light petroleum naphtha is interesting and instructive. Details will be 

 found in Ain. Chem., Journ. vi, 248. 



Absorption Spectra of the Allcaloids, by Prof. W. N. Hartley. — Experi- 

 ments have been made to ascertain whether absolute physical nieasure- 

 meuts can be substituted for the uncertain chemical reactions and vari- 

 able physiological tests employed to detect alkaloids in medico legal 



