134 
official buchu. The ethereal oil is a semi-solid with a distinct odor 
like that of peppermint, and contains diosphenol. The botanical 
identity of the leaves has not been determined. — Ibid., p. 521. 
CAFFEINA. 
Beichard, C., reviews the tests and reactions applicable to caf- 
feine. — Pharm. Zentralh., 1905, v. 46, p. 846. 
Siedler, P., points out that the Ph. Germ., IV, requires a melting- 
point of 230.5° C. When caffeine is dried as directed in the pharma- 
copoeia he finds that it requires a temperature of 234° ; when dried 
in the air bath the melting point may be as high as 236.5°. The air 
dry substance melts at 229° C. — Pharm. Post, Wien, 1905, v. 38, 
pi 568. 
Puckner, W. A., in discussing the estimation of caffeine records 
some experiments made to determine the conditions under which 
caffeine may be dried without loss. He also reports on the estima- 
tion of caffeine in the presence of acetanilide, and presents the details 
of a series of experiments which led to the adoption of a process in 
which the caffeine is precipitated as a periodide. — Proc. Am. Pharm. 
Ass., 1905, v. 53, pp. 285-289, 292-298. 
Waentig, J. Percy, presents a study of the several methods for the 
determination of caffeine. He concludes that the method proposed 
by J. Katz gives the most satisfactory results with roasted coffee.— 
Arb. a. d. kais. Gesundsheitsamte, Berlin, 1905, v. 22, pp. 315-332. 
Bertrand, Gabriel, describes several varieties of coffee which contain 
little or no caffeine. These coffees come from Madagascar, in the 
neighborhood of La Grande Comore, and have been identified as 
being the product of Coffea gallienii , C. bonnierii , and C. m,ogeneti. 
In addition to these three, Coffea humboltiana , also from the same 
neighborhood in Madagascar, has been described. — Compt-rend. 
Acad. d. sc., Paris, 1905, v. 141, pp. 209-211. 
Petrow. W. I. (Dissert., 1905, St. Petersburg), reports some ob- 
servations on the destruction of caffeine, strychnine, and atropine in 
the several organs and concludes that caffeine is destroyed in rela- 
tively large quantities, particularly in the liver. — Biochem. Cen- 
tralbl., v. 4, 1905, p. 495. 
Schwabe, G. (Arch. Ophthalmol., July, 1905), discusses the influ- 
ence of caffeine on the field of vision in quinine amblyopia. — Abstr. 
in J. Am. M. Ass., 1905, v. 45, p. 497. 
Loewi, O. (from Sitzungsberichte d. Gesellsch. z. Beford. d. ges. 
Naturw. z. Marburg, 1905, pp. 76-79), discusses the nature of the 
diuresis produced by caffeine.— Beference from Ind. Med., 1905, p. 
675. 
Zilinski, W. (Wratschebnaja Gazeta, 1905, No. 35), in discussing 
the influence of convallamarin, strophanthin, and caffeine on the 
