352 
The author has subjected the raw opium to titration, according to the 
method of Fordos, and obtained, as an average of two operations, the 
following results: 
LTC) L See ia ied a lg aM AR Lo 8.40 per cent. 
Narcoune. ..«.- ie 6a 6 ate pt he Solo. ee ee 3.60 % 6 
The proportion of morphine is somewhat lower than that found in 
the species from Smyrna. It was suspected that it contained an abnor- 
mal quantity of sugar, but it was found difficult to establish this point 
by comparison, since all species of opium contain different amounts of 
this constituent. 
ACTION OF COFFEE.—Aubert, writing upon the constituents of coffee, 
states that in roasting none of the caffeine is lost, but that it-may be 
more completely removed from the grains if they are strongly roasted. 
When taken in large doses it seems to cause a decrease in the action of 
the heart. When taken in small doses the pulse becomes more active, 
but the pressure of the blood in the vessels decreases. 
CLEANING wooL.—Many of our farmers pay but little attention 
when cleaning wool to the kind of water used in the operation; but it 
will be seen that this should always be taken into consideration. Thus, 
waters containing lime should be carefully avoided, since this constitu- 
ent combines with the suint, thus forming an insoluble soap, which 
seems to produce unpleasant effects in the processes of dyeing. For log- 
wood, red-wood, and dyes of like character, the effect appears to be 
unimportant; but when quercitron, fustic, and madder are used the effect 
is quite different, and is often very deleterious. 
PURIFICATION OF SUGAR BY OSMOSIS.—The manufacturers and re- 
finers of sugar in our country would do well to follow the example ot 
those of Belgium, some of whom have successfully applied osmosis to 
the removal of the crystallizable sugar from molasses obtained from the 
third crystallization. The advantages claimed for this method are, that 
the molasses remaining after this treatment sells for the same price as 
ordinary molasses ; that the crystallization of the products of osmosis is 
effected in one-half the time required for that of ordinary sugars; that 
white sugars are thus obtained in much less time; that the namber of 
erystallizing-pans may be reduced one-half; and that the products 
obtained are much less colored. 
CAUSE OF INTERMITTENT FEVERS.—In the discussion of the power 
of certain substances to prevent putrefaction and the development of 
protoplasmic life, Mr. F.C. Calvert states that quinine sulphate will com- 
pletely stop the growth of fungi, and that since this substance is so 
efficacious in cases of intermittent fevers it is probable that the latter 
may be the result of the introduction of fungoid growths into the sys- 
tem, and this seems more probable since these fevers are developed 
more extensively in swampy countries, where the decomposition of veg- 
etable matter is so abundant. 
CoAL-ASHES.—The following experiments of M. Lebouf, of Argenteuil, 
upon the value of coal-ashes, shows that in the ashes alone, without an 
admixture of soil or any manu re, plants may grow and come to matu- 
rity. Thus, having filled three pots with ashes, he planted in the first 
wheat, in the second oats, and in the third strawberries. The growth 
was accomplished during the summer, the wheat and oats ripening and 
producing full heavy grains. The straw of the wheat attained a height 
