184 
with ten times its weight of lime water gives a yellowish filtrate that 
is decolorized by the addition of hydrochloric acid, and from which, 
on cooling, colorless crystals separate. This test, he asserts, while 
added as a test for recognizing balsam of tolu, may also serve to 
differentiate or to detect possible admixture of rosin which gives a 
flocculent precipitate. — Pharm. Zentralh.,1906, v. 17, p. 685. 
Dunning. H. A. B., points out that balsam of tolu does not readily 
dissolve at low temperature and suggests fusing the balsam and dis- 
solving by adding alcohol while it is still hot.— Proc. Am . Pharm. 
Ass., 1906, v. 51, p. 183. 
Philipp Roder, Wien, reports that two samples of balsam of tolu 
contained, respectively, 0.12 and 0.21 per cent of ash and had a sapon- 
ification number of 118 and 115.7. — Pharm. Post, Wien, 1906, v. 39, 
pp. 233. 
Evans Sons Lescher and Webb found that the free benzoic acid 
content in seven samples of balsam of tolu recently examined ranged 
from 8.28 to 10.89 per cent, and that the combined benzoic acid 
ranged from 12.7 to 20.5 per cent. — Analytical Xotes for 1906, 1907, 
P- 6. 
Astruc and Cambe review various methods for the preparation of 
syrup of tolu and offer a formula which they assert is more practical, 
more efficient, and more rapid of execution than the formula of the 
French Codex. — J. de pharm. et cle cliim., Par., 1906, v. 23, pp. 
418 — 125. 
BALSAMUM TRAUMATICUM N. F. 
Caldwell. Paul, suggests several complications that may arise from 
the use of the synonyms for traumatic balsam and suggests that the 
note adds an unnecessary complication. — -Drug. Circ. & Chem. Gaz., 
X. Y., 1906, v. 50, p. 392. 
BELLADONNJE FOLIA. 
The Ph. Brit. Committee of Reference in Pharmacy report on 
belladonna leaves says the committee is of opinion that, from some 
points of view, belladonna leaves are to be preferred to the root 
as a starting point for galenical preparations of belladonna, owing to 
the fact that the ratio of alkaloid to extractive is not so variable. 
The committee also asserts that belladonna root, if retained, in order 
to have preparations of uniform physical characters, must be of 
definite standard, and 0.1 to 0.5 per cent of the total alkaloids is 
suggested. — Chem. & Drug., Lond., 1906, v. 69, p. 863. 
An editorial notes that of the many important points in the report 
of the General Aledical Council none are so revolutionary as the re- 
marks on belladonna preparations; the retention of the root for 
galenicals being questioned and preference given the leaves. When 
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