Miscellaneous Notes. 255 



produces no dark line in the spectrum, he regards the reduction 

 of chlorophyll, when C0 2 is dissociated through the agency of light, 

 as sufficient reason why the transformation may not be attended 

 by a visible change of its color and other optical properties. — 

 Nature, xxxii. 217, 342. (D. P. P.) 



The Eucalyptus in Italy. — According to a writer in the " Gar- 

 tenzeitung " of Berlin, the plantations of the Eucalyptus in Italy 

 have been far from realising the results that were anticipated 

 from them, as a means of preventing malarious fever, and neither 

 the soil nor the climate of that country appears to be favorable for 

 the growth of this tree, and he recommends the Quercus rex, the 

 Laurus glandulosa, and certain varieties of the maple as being 

 far better suited for the purpose. Another authority, Dr. Dieck, 

 recommends the Acer calif orniense, a tree of nearly as rapid a 

 growth as the Eucalyptus, the Acer macrophyllum of California, 

 the Acer insigne of the Himalayas, all of which are well suited 

 forcultivation in malarious districts in Italy ; the Salix babylonica, 

 Populus angulata, heterophylla, etc., are all said to be preferable 

 to the Eucalyptus, and more suitable to the climate, and contain 

 similar properties to those of the Eucalyptus, to which it owes 

 its efficiency as a preventive against the malaria. Dr. Dieck, 

 however, considers that the root of the evil lies in the indiscriminate 

 cutting down of the trees on the mountains, and that their re- 

 wooding would do far more towards checking malaria than any 

 measures taken in the marshes, which districts have been reduced 

 to their present state by forestal mismanagement and neglect. 

 (ARM.) 



Chemical and Physical. — Apomorphine as an Anaesthetic. — 

 Professor Ludwig, aided by M . Bergmeister, has instituted a 

 series of experiments upon a great number of organic substances 

 in search for a body possessing powers similar to cocaine. 

 Their investigations were fruitless until they tried apomorphine, 

 which drug they found to be almost, if not quite, equal to cocaine 

 in point of local anaesthetic properties. Their experiments were 

 made on cats with a 2 per cent solution of apomorphine hydro- 

 chloride. (A.H.M.) 



A New Reagent for Distinguishing Alcohols. — As a reagent, 

 for distinguishing alcohol obtained from potato spirit from 

 the pure alcohol obtained from corn, etc., Dr. Hager (Pho.rm 

 Central, xxvi. 26) proposes a 10 per cent, solution of mercurous 

 nitrate. One-part crystallized nitrate is dissolved in 10 parts 

 distilled water and rendered clear by the addition of a trace 

 of nitric acid and allowed to settle over some metallic mer- 

 cury. When 3 drops of the solution are added to 3 cc. (about 

 50m.) of absolute or 94 per cent, alcohol, a milky mixture with a 

 yellowish white tinge results upon agitation. Upon several hours' 



