86 
THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST. 
March, 1881. 
A NEW METHOD FOR THE EXAMINATION OF 
COFFEE. 
(By F. M. Rimmington.) 
I think it will be generally admitted that the methods in use 
for estimating the degree of adulteration in coffee are far from 
satisfactory as regards definiteness and certainty, and that 
something approaching nearer to chemical accuracy is very de- 
sirable. Little has been done in this direction since the days 
of the Lancet Sanitory Commission. 
It may, possibly, not be generally known to analysts that 
chicory, dandelion, and probably some other substances that 
are used for mixing with coffee, are readily deprived of colour 
by a weak solution of chloride of ’ lime (hypochlorite), and 
that this agent has very little action on the coffee. When this 
method is adopted a portion of the coffee should be gently 
boiled a short time in water with a little carbonate of soda, so 
as to move extractive as much as possible ; after subsidence 
the liquor should be poured off, and the residue washed with 
distilled water. When this has been sufficiently done, a weak 
solution of the hypochlorite of lime is to be added and allowed 
to remain, with occasional stirring, until decoloration has taken 
place, which will be probably in two or three hours. The coffee 
will then form a dark stratum at the bottom of the glass, and 
the chicory a light and almost white stratum floating above it, 
and showing a clear and sharp line of separation. 
The chicory after this operation is in the very best condition 
for microscopical examination, and it is not difficult to dis- 
criminate between chicory, dandelion, or other substances. 
Although the lower stratum may be dark, and have all the ap- 
pearance of coffee, other substances may be present and should 
be sought for. I have recently met with a substance that is 
entirely new to me, as a coffee substitute, that is not affected 
by this treatment. — Pharmaceutical Journal. 
DUST, RAIN, ;AND FOG. 
At a meeting of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, an 
important paper was read on “Dust, Rain, and Fog,” 
by Mr. John Aitken, of Falkirk. The communication 
was very interesting, and was illustrated by a number of 
successful and conclusive experiments. Mr. Aitken’s results 
may be briefly summarised as follows : — A vapour does not 
condense under ordinary circumstances when cooled below its 
boiling point, except on a free surface ; that is to say, that if 
steam, for instance, be blown into a receiver filled with 
ordinary air, a white cloud is immediately formed by the 
condensation of the vapour on the innumerable particles of 
dust ; but if a jet of steam be blown into a receiver filled 
with air, which has been filtered through cotton- wool, no cloud 
is observed. The same fact was demonstrated by means of 
another experiment. A large inverted flask was fitted with a 
cork, through which passed a tube, communicating with the 
air-pump. Over the interior surface of the cork was placed a 
little water. When the flask was filled with filtered air no 
effect was produced by exhausting with the pump ; while with 
the flask filled with ordinary air a cloudiness was immediately 
apparent, which increased in density when the working of the 
air-pump was continued. By using a flask containing air not 
perfectly free from dust, an effect resembling a shower of rain in 
minute drops was produced on rapidly withdrawing a portion 
of the air. Among other things, it was shown that the fumes 
of burning sulphur (sulphuric acid will not do) have a power- 
ful effect in producing fog. Into a receiver in which a grain 
of sulphur had been burned, a jet of steam was blown. This 
instantly caused a dense fog, through which nothing could be 
seen, and which continued to fill the receiver for a much 
longer time than if the atmosphere had simply consisted of 
unfiltered air. 
From these and other observations which Mr. Aitken has 
made, he concludes that if the air were free from dust we 
should have no clouds, rain, or fogs ; but that the excessive 
moisture would slowly condense on the surface of the earth, 
on the trees and houses, keeping them constantly wet. He is 
also of opinion that the large amount of sulphur which is daily 
burned in the coal fires in London, is a principal factor in the 
production of the “ pea-soupy” fogs for which that city is 
famous .—-Pharmaceutical Journal . 
The French Government has allotted to M. Pasteur the sum 
of 50,000 francs for the purpose of enabling him to carry out 
his researches on the contagious diseases of animals. 
VAPOURS FOR INHALATION. 
The following are selected by the Monthly Magazine of 
Pharmacy from the formulas used at the Hospital for Di- 
seases of the Throat in London : — 
Vapour Caryophylli. 
Oil of cloves 
30 minims. 
Light carbonate of magnesia ... 
15 grains. 
Water 
3 ounces. 
Vapour Casslze. 
Oil of cassia 
20 minims. 
Light carbonate of magnesia 
10 grains. 
Water 
3 ounces. 
Vapour Cinnamon i. 
Oil of cinnamon ... 
20 minims. 
Light carbonate of magnesia 
10 grains. 
Water 
3 ounces. 
Vapour Creosoti. 
Beech wood creosote 
3 drachms. 
Glycerine 
3 „ 
Water 
3 ounces. 
Vapour Cubebje. 
Oil of cubebs 
2 drachms. 
Light carbonate of magnesia 
60 grains. 
Water 
3 ounces. 
Useful in laryngorrhoea. 
Vapour CuBEBiE c. Limone. 
Oil of cubebs 
lli drachms. 
„ lemon ... ... ... \ drachm. 
Light carbonate of magnesia *. 60 grains. 
Water ... ' ... ... ... ... ... 3 ounces. 
The oil of lemon is added to mask the disagreeable odour of 
the cubebs. 
A teaspoonful to be added to a pint of water at the desired 
temperature, 150° F., and an additional teaspoonful to be 
added every five minutes during the time that the inhalation 
is used. Not more than three teaspoonfuls to be used on any 
single occasion. 
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE EXAMINATION OF WINE, 
(By V. Wartha.) 
1 . Detection of Magenta in Red Wines. 
In all judicial cases the following should be applied in suc- 
cession : — 
a. The Magnesia Test. — 20 c.c. of the wine are mixed in a 
large test-tube with excess of calcined magnesia. After well 
shaking there is added 1 c.c. of a mixture of equal parts 
colourless amylic alcohol and ether ; the whole is well shaken 
and allowed to stand for some time. 1 m.grm. magenta in 1 
litre of wine may be detected by a rose colouration of the 
supernatant stratum. In stongly coloured southern wines 
faint reactions are often masked by a yellowish or light 
brownish colouring-matter. 
b. The Sugar of Lead Test. — 20 c.c. of wine are mixed with 
10 c.c sub-acetate of lead of officinal strength, and the mix- 
ture after being well shaken is filtered into a perfectly dry 
test-tube. If moderately large quantities of magenta are 
present they will be detected by the paler or deeper rose 
colour of the filtrate. But even if it appears perfectly colour- 
less or yellowish, small quantities of magenta or aniline-violet 
may be present ; 1 c.c. of the above-mentioned mixture of 
amylic alcohol and ether is therefore added ; the tube shaken 
up, and then allowed to stand for some time. If held against 
a white background very small quantities of magenta may be 
recognised in the upper stratum. 
c. The Ether Test. — If the sample has given strong reactions 
with a and b, concentration is not necessary. If the reactions 
were slight, from 150 to 200 c.c. of the wine are evaporated 
down to one-third to one-fifth of its original volume in a silver 
capsule, which should have been slightly ignited previously. 
The concentration is effected over an open flame as rapidly as 
possible, and the residue while still warm is poured into a 
stoppered glass cylinder, which should previously be washed 
with concentrated nitric acid and rinsed with pure water. 
The wine is mixed with an excess of pure ammonia, 30 to 
40 c.c. pure ether are added, the cylinder is stoppered, and 
shaken carefully to prevent the formation of an emulsion. 
The clear ethereal stratum is then filtered through a clean dry 
filter into a perfectly clean porcelain capsule having glazed 
edges. One or two threads of clean knitting- wool, 3 to 4 c.m. 
long, which should have been previously washed and dried, 
are laid in the colourless ether, which is allowed to evaporate 
