Scientific Intelligence. — Medical Chemistry. 157 



2. Poisonous confectionary. — M. Baibreal, a chemical agent to 

 the faculty of sciences, examined the nature of the fine green color 

 of the surface of sugar plums manufactured at one of the best con- 

 fectionaries in Paris, and ascertained that the coloring substance was 

 arsenite of copper, or schwanfurth green. In consequence of this 

 enquiry the authorities interposed, and it having appeared also that 

 the yellow preparations were colored by chromate of lead, the sale 

 of these bo'^bons was strictly forbidden. 



On the first of January 1829, the wife and children of a gentleman 

 in Paris were seized with illness after eating a few bonbons calle j?a^e 

 de pistache of a pistachia green color. Dr. Hennel having demand- 

 ed of the confectioner with what substance he colored these articles, 

 was answered with blue and gamboge. On analysis however the 

 coloring matter proved to be indigo and chromate of lead. 



A quantity of the green sugar plums were after the prohibition in 

 Paris, introduced there from Germany, and proved to have been 

 colored with arsenite of copper. 



It is obvious therefore that parents cannot be too much on their 

 guard against suffering their children to buy and eat these colored su- 

 gars. The college of health in France has taken measures to pre- 

 vent their preparation and sale. — Artnales d^ Hygiene publique et de 

 Medecine Legale, Juillet, 1829. 



3. Memoir on hydro-cyanic acid, by M. Orjila.-—T\\\'s, valuable 

 memoir commences by remarking that the medico-legal history of 

 this very active poison, had not yet obtained the desired degree of 

 perfection. Neither the manner of detecting its presence when 

 mingled with the contents of the digestive canal, or with alimentary 

 substances, syrups, &c. nor the various symptoms which ensue when 

 it is taken into the system, nor the changes produced by it in the or- 

 gans, have been well defined ; the proper treatment or mode of cure 

 has been much more successfully laid down. 1st. Characters by 

 which this acid may be recognized. 



Its most distinctive character is smell, which is at first fresh then 

 sharp and irritating, very strong, insupportable, and analogous to bit- 

 ter almonds. This odor may be distinctly perceived in a fluid so 

 weak as not be detected by the most sensible reagent. 



The most delicate test is nitrate of silver, which throws down a 

 curdy white precipitate of cyanuret of silver, insoluble in nitric acid 

 at conniion temperatures, but easily soluble at boiling, and in ammo- 



