38 
NOTES AND ABSTRACTS IN CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACY. 
Influence of Ozone on the explosibility of Picrate of Potash. 
A curious suggestion has been made in reference to the lamentable explosion 
of picrate of potash which recently occurred at the warehouse of M. Fontaine, 
in the Place de la Sorbonne, at Paris, namely, that the result may have been in 
great part due to the presence of ozone in the air. M. Houzseau, whose re¬ 
searches in ozone are well known, has made some experiments on the action of 
this substance upon the picrates. He prepared a flask of ozone, into which he 
then introduced 5 decigrammes of picrate of potash ; an explosion immediately 
ensued, shattering the vessel to fragments by its violence. He then operated 
with a mixture of air and ozone (in which the ozonometer marked 500 milli¬ 
metres), and, on adding the picrate, the explosion again occurred with the same 
intensity. Proceeding by degrees, he arrived at the conclusion that picrate of 
potash is decomposed when the ozonometer marks 45 millimetres. 
It is a remarkable circumstance in connection with this explanation, that on 
the day of the catastrophe at the Sorbonne, the ozonometer at Paris is stated to 
have marked 51 millimetres, the highest point yet observed. On the day after, 
the instrument only marked 23 millimetres. 
A New Test for distinguishing between Morphia and Brucia. 
Morphia and brucine possess in common the property of becoming red by 
contact with nitric acid. The reaction of the one alkaloid may, however, be 
distinguished from that of the other by the subsequent behaviour of the red 
product with reducing agents. In the case of morphia, the nitric solution 
treated with protochloride of tin is completely decolorized ; when brucia is 
similarly treated, the colour passes to a violet. M. Stanilas Cotton points out 
that most other reducing agents, such as the sulphites, alkaline hyposulphites, 
etc., possess the same power. Hyposulphite of soda is even capable of pro¬ 
ducing the reaction in the cold. But M. Cotton is of opinion that of all sub¬ 
stances the hydrosulphate of the sulphide of sodium presents the greatest ad¬ 
vantages. When to a solution of brucine in nitric acid, heated to about 60° 
C., is added a concentrated solution of hydrosulphate of sulphide of sodium, the 
colour soon passes to a violet, and, on continuing the addition of the sodium- 
salt, a persistent green colour is developed, which is rendered brighter by fil¬ 
tering the mixture. Nothing similar is produced by morphia under the same 
treatment; this reaction serves well, therefore, to distinguish between the two 
alkaloids. 
The green liquid possesses the following characters:—It is analogous in tint 
to the aldehyde green of commerce ; it is unaltered by the alkalies ; the dilute 
acids convert it to a rose-colour with the disengagement of sulphuretted hydro¬ 
gen ; after one or two days the green colour disappears with the formation of a 
greenish precipitate. When the operation has been well conducted, 2 milli¬ 
grammes of brucine suffice to give a sensible colour to half a litre of water. 
Detection of Santonin. 
M. Rieker having occasion to detect santonin in some lozenges, operated as 
follows:—A couple of lozenges reduced to powder were percolated with chloro¬ 
form, and the solution evaporated to dryness. The residue consisted of the pure 
santonin. 
Poisonous Dyes (Coloured Socks). 
M. Tardieu has made known several accidents caused by socks or stockings 
coloured with coralline or aniline red, and now gives several tests by which 
these dyes may be recognized on the fabrics. The colouring-matters employed 
for dyeing red are six in number: 1st, garancine; 2nd, cochineal; 3rd, mu- 
rexide; 4th, carthamus; 5th, fuchsine, or aniline red; 6th, coralline. The 
