293 
(b) pegucatechu, the dry extract prepared from the heart-wood of 
Acacia catechu Wild. — Ph. Japan III, p. 74. 
The Ph. Brit. Committee of Reference in Pharmacy report on 
Catechu says : 
Dieterich’s gambier-fluorescein test might be introduced, and further details 
for the starch test. — Chem. & Drug., Loud., 1906, v. 69, p. 863. 
Smith. Kline & French Co. report the result of the examination of 
two samples of gum catechu. The ash was 2.8 per cent and 3.1 per 
cent ; they were 15 per cent and 80 per cent soluble in alcohol, respec- 
tively. — Lab. Rep. S. K. & F., 1906, p. 17. 
Francis. John M., thinks the compound tincture of gambir a desir- 
able substitution for the compound tincture of catechu, as the latter 
was entirely too crude for pharmaceutical use. — Bull. Pharm., De- 
troit, 1906, v. 20, p. 232. 
GELATINUM. 
Hankey, William T., points out that the statement that gelatin is 
inodorous is rather indefinite, as an article that is inodorous when dry 
and cool may show a very disagreeable odor on being dissolved and 
the solution warmed on a water bath. The relative firmness of the 
jelly formed with a 1 to 50 aqueous solution is also an important 
factor in grading; the better grades uniformly producing the firmest 
jelly. — Am. Druggist, X. Y., 1906, v. 19, p. 361. 
Sadikoff, Wl. S., (Zeit. physiol. Chem. 1906, v. 18, pp. 130-139) 
proposes a method for the preparation and purification of gelatin by 
which all albumins, mucin, nucleo-proteids, etc., are dissolved, any 
calcium phosphate is precipitated, and fatty compounds are hydro- 
lyzed. He also gives a method of purifying gelatin prepared by the 
ordinary method. — Abstr. in J. Chem. Soc. Lond., 1906, v. 90, pt. 1, 
p. 777. 
Levene and Beatty (Zeitschr. f. physiol. Ch., 1906, v. 19, p. 217) 
report experiments on the decomposition of gelatin by means of sul- 
phuric acid and an analysis of the decomposition products of gela- 
tin. — Bioehem. Centralbl., Leipz., 1906-7, v. 5, p. 825. 
* 
Dieterich, Karl, reports on 8 samples of gelatin; the residual ash 
varied from 0.583 to 2.201 per cent and the contained moisture from 
8.66 to 22.33 per cent. — Helfenberger Annalen 1905, j. 906, v. 18, p. 82. 
Winkelblech, K., discusses the gelatinization and the density of 
solutions of gelatin, also considers the influences exerted by various 
factors. — Ztschr. f. ang. Chem., 1906, v. 19, pt. 2, pp. 1260-1262. 
Vogel. J., (Berl. Klin. Wchnschr., vol. 13, no. 15) reports that a 
tendency to haemorrhage in the bladder was successfully treated by 
injecting a 2 per cent solution of gelatin. — J. Am. M. Ass., 1906, v. 17, 
p. 312. 
