February ], 1873.J THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
G07 
In giving the result of my examination I hope it may 
throw a little more light on a plant of some importance, 
which I have found to contain the alkaloid solania. 
The process for extracting the alkaloid was similar to 
that of Wackenroder, except a slight change in the ma¬ 
ceration and in using ammonia instead of hydrated lime 
for precipitation. 
I took a quantity of the living plant, leaves and 
stems, and bruised them with water into a pulp in a 
mortar. This pulpy mass was next macerated for forty- 
eight hours with water enough to cover it, previously 
acidulated with sulphuric acid so as to have a strong 
.acid reaction. The liquid was then expressed, and the 
residue treated again with sulphuric acid and water, as in 
the fii'st maceration. It was nowexpressed as before, the 
two liquids were mixed, and after standing for some 
days, filtered and treated with water of ammonia, sp. 
gr. 0-960, in excess. The precipitate that formed was 
.separated by straining dried in heated air at 120° Fah., 
.and then boiled several times with alcohol. The alco¬ 
holic solution, having been filtered while hot, upon 
cooling, deposited the solania in small feathery-like crys¬ 
tals, resembling quinine in appearance, having a smell 
like that of potatoes, and a taste rather nauseous, bitter, 
•and somewhat sweetish. With sulphuric acid, it gave 
•a bright red colour, passing into reddish brown. With 
iodine a characteristic yellowish brown colour was pro¬ 
duced. Besides solania, I also found in the herb some 
fixed oil, gum, chlorophyll and inorganic salts. 
OLIVE CULTIVATION IN SYRIA. 
In a recent report on some of the chief products of 
Syria, Mr. Vice-Consul Jago remarks that olive oil is 
produced throughout Syria, but chiefly in the plains of 
Safet, Nazareth, and Nablous. The average produce is 
•estimated at 6,000,000 of okes under favourable circum¬ 
stances. That of 1871 amounted to between 5,500,000 
-to 6,000,000, of which about 1800 tons were exported. 
Prices ranged from 8 to 5| piastres per oke.* The pro¬ 
duction of this article has increased of late years, and 
it promises to become, with the growing demand for ex¬ 
portation, one of the most important articles of Syrian 
produce. 
The olive tree, like the mulberry, requires but little 
-care, which is limited to ploughing the land two or three 
times a year. The crop takes place in September and 
October, according to situation. The fruit is knocked 
•off with sticks, and the injury thus caused to the 
branches is probably the reason of the short yield of 
every second year. 
The plantations are being extended principally on the 
-coast line, between Lattakia and Jaffa, the climate of 
which seems to be peculiarly adapted. Nearly half a 
million of new trees are said to be annually planted 
throughout the country. This is perhaps an exaggera¬ 
tion, but the increase is very large. 
The quality of the finer sorts of oil is equal to that of 
Italian, while that produced near Sidon is said to rival 
the finest qualities that Europe can produce. 
About one-half of the crop is consumed in soap- 
making, one quarter in eating and burning, and the re¬ 
maining quarter is exported, chiefly to France. The 
now extensive use of American petroleum oil for burning, 
of which 101,800 gallons were imported into Syria in 
1871, has made a larger quantity of olive oil available 
for export. 
The oil press used is the rude native one of bye-gone 
ages, and Mr. Jago believes there is but one European 
press in the country. 
THE AGUE-PLANT.* 
Dr. Bartlett, of Chicago, has forwarded to the editor 
of G rev ilka (No. 6, 1872) specimens of the palmelloid 
plant, in which Dr. Salisbury believed himself to have 
discovered the germs of the ague. He says, “ Desiring 
to investigate the subject, I sought for the plants de¬ 
scribed by Dr. Salisbury in the ague bottom of the Mis¬ 
sissippi river, opposite Keokuk, Iowa, lat. 10° 25'. Not 
being provided with a suitable microscope, I was unable 
to discover the microscopic algae described by the doctor. 
I was pleased, however, to find the fungi, samples of 
which I send you. Generally, it answers Sal sbury’s 
description.” He adds, “ By placing the cake of earth 
sent you in a plate, and adding water enough to make it 
of about the consistence of potter's clay, and keeping it 
at a temperature of above 60 deg., you will find a fresh 
crop of the plant to develope, and you will thus have an 
opportunity of studying them. Should you allow them 
to. flourish and remain uncovered in your room, you 
might have the satisfaction of demonstrating the ‘ cause 
of ague.’ This fungus was first found, so far as I know, 
by Dr. J. P. Safford, of Keokuk, who was kind enough 
to search for me while I visited an ague patient. In the 
locality of their growth they are to be seen in myriads, 
and near them, even on elevations of over one hundred 
feet, everybody had the ague. The course of this 
disease seemed pari passu with that of the plant.” 
CEMENTS, f 
A good rubber cement may be prepared by dissolving 
one. part india-rubber in two parts linseed oil, and 
adding to the solution a sufficient quantity of bole, say 
about three parts. 
For amber and tortoiseshell, a cement is made by 
mixing together equal parts of mastic and linseed oil, 
and warming gently. This cement should be used 
warm. 
To unite wood to wood, a thick solution of shellac in 
alcohol may be used. It is well to put a piece of fine 
gauze or crape between the broken surfaces of wood, and 
then press them tightly together until the cement be¬ 
comes perfectly firm. Another good, durable cement for 
woodwork is made by fusing together shellac, mastic and 
common turpentine, and adding some broken isinglass. 
For attaching small objects to anything turned, a 
mixture of colophonium, turpentine and yellow wax, 
with the addition of a little pulverized sealing wax, 
answers nicely. The cement sets quickly and holds 
well. 
To fasten knives and forks in silver handles, a mix¬ 
ture of 2 parts of molted black pitch and 1 part of fine 
brick dust may be used. It must be used warm. 
A varnish or cement to protect wood from the action 
of mineral acids, alkalies and corrosive gases like chlo¬ 
rine, is made from 6 parts of colophonium and 3 parts 
of wood tar by heating together in an iron kettle on 
a furnace in the open air, and then stirring in 4 parts 
of fine brick dust. The varnish is applied with a brush 
while warm. 
An excellent cement for glass is made by dissolving 1 
part india-rubber in 60 parts of choloroform, then 
adding 34 of mastic, and letting it digest for a week at a 
gentle heat.. This cement is also applied with a brush, 
and is especially distinguished by its transparency. 
Another cement for glass and porcelain is made by 
digesting small pieces of isinglass in 16 times their weight 
of water for 24 hours. The solution is evaporated to one- 
half, strained, and, while still hot, 8 parts of alcohol 
added, and at the same time a solution of 1 part mastic 
in 6 parts warm alcohol. One-half part of finely-pow¬ 
dered gum ammoniac is triturated in the warm solution 
until the whole mass is homogeneous. "When used, both 
the cement and the object to be mended are warmed. 
* Oke = 1200 grams. £1 = 110 piastres. 
* From the ‘ British Medical Journal.’ 
f From the ‘Journal of Applied Chemistry.’ 
