100 Chronicles of Science. [Jan., 



contact with the altered chloroform, it turns orange-red, and soon 

 green. 



Dragendorff gives* an easy process for ohtaining bilirubin 

 su , ciently pure. He simply extracts inspissated bile with sulphide 

 of carbon, niters, evaporates, and then repeatedly extracts the 

 residue with alcohol and ether. After this a red powder remains, 

 which is sufficiently pure bilirubin. To prepare a small quantity 

 quickly, fresh bile may be taken and diluted with water, and acidu- 

 lated with a few drops of hydrochloric acid. After this it is shaken 

 with a little bisulphide of carbon. The layer of bisulphide is then 

 separated, evaporated, and the residue washed with alcohol and 

 ether. The undissolved red powder can be used directly for the 

 test. 



Zaleskyhas isolated the poison of the Salamander. It is a 

 creamy liquid, strongly alkaline, and having a bitter taste. It 

 contains an active principle, precipitated by phospho-molybdic acid, 

 and to which the author has given the name Salamandrine. Its 

 composition is e 24 He 9 N 2 e 5 . 



In conclusion, we may mention two papers of considerable 

 practical interest. The first is the description of a process devised 

 by Mr. Sutherland for the estimation of resin in soaps, t The author 

 first decomposes the soap by boiling with strong hydrochloric acid ; 

 he then treats the cake of mixed fatty and resinous acids with 

 strong nitric acid, by which the resinous matter is converted into 

 soluble terebic acid, while the fatty acid is left comparatively 

 unacted on. This process, though not rigidly exact, may afford 

 reasonably approximate results. 



The last paper is on the igniting point of Petroleum by Dr 

 Attfield.J The igniting point of petroleum is a matter of dispute, 

 partly in consequence of the different methods which chemists 

 adopt in determining it, and, partly, because all are not agreed as to 

 the exact meaning of the Petroleum Act. Dr. Attfield has devised 

 a simple set of apparatus to ensure uniformity in the mode of ope- 

 rating, and thus removes one source of disagreement, if the appa- 

 ratus be adopted. He uses simply a wide-test tube, in which the 

 specific gravity may first be taken by -means of a hydrometer. 

 The tube is marked, so that in determining the igniting point, 

 equal volumes of petroleum may always be taken — a point of 

 considerable importance. A narrow thermometer answers for a 

 stirring rod, while it indicates the temperature. Dr. Attfield 

 recommends the use of a small gas-jet as a test flame, which he 

 arranges so that it can be easily brought within the tube, and to 

 within half-an-inch of the surface of the liquid, The petroleum 



* 'Pharm. Zeitsch. f. JRussland,' 3, 49. 



t ' Chemical News,' No. 359, p. 185. 



% ' Pharmaceutical Journal/ December, 18G6, 



