302 
"  SWEET  QUININE  "  :  WHAT  IS  IT? 
Allyl  compounds.  B.  Tollens  and  A.  Henninger  observed 
that  a  mixture  of  4  parts  glycerin  and  1  oxalic  acid,  heated  to 
190°  C,  contains  formiate  of  glycerin  (monoformin),  which  may 
be  dissolved  out  by  ether;  it  liberates  with  water  formic  acid,  but 
yields  on  distillation  carbonic  acid  and  allylic  alcohol.  The 
above  mixture  distilled  at  190  C.  yields  allylic  alcohol,  allyl- 
formic  ether,  acrolein,  &c.  The  allylic  alcohol  treated  with  bro- 
mide of  phosphorus  yields  bromide  of  allyle,  which  with  sulphide 
of  potassium  forms  sulphyde  of  allyle  (oil  of  garlic),  and  with  sul- 
phocyanide  of  potassium,  oil  of  mustard ;  the  latter  is  also  ob- 
tained by  distilling  allyle-sulphate  of  potassa  with  sulphocyanide 
of  potassium.  The  oils  obtained  by  either  process  are  identical 
with  that  obtained  from  the  seed.  This  method  is  used  with  ad- 
vantage for  manufacturing  the  volatile  oil. — Zeitschr.  f.  Ohemie, 
1869,  88—90. 
Valerianic  acid. — C.  Stalmann  has  again  examined  the  natu- 
ral and  artificial  valerianic  acid  with  the  view  of  determining 
their  asserted  difference.  He  found  the  salts  of  strontia,  zinc 
and  quinia  (the  latter  contains  1  equiv.  acid,  1  of  base,  and  1  of 
water)  of  both  acids  precisely  alike  ;  but  while  the  baryta  salt  of 
the  true  acid  would  be  readily  obtained  in  large  laminae,  when 
the  solution  was  evaporated  in  vacuo  over  sulphuric  acid,  the  salt 
from  the  artificial  acid  would  yield  only  a  thick  syrup  ;  he  there- 
fore regards  the  two  acids  as  isomeric  but  not  as  identical. — 
Arcliiv  d.  Pharm.,  1869,  3Iarch,  258.  From  Ann.  d.  Ch,  und 
Pharm.  1868,  Aug.  129—134. 
To  determine  an  adulteration  of  glycerin  with  sugar. — A.  Vo- 
gel  adds  to  5  drops  of  the  suspected  liquid  100  to  120  drops  of 
water,  and  about  4  centigr.  molybdate  of  ammonia  with  1  drop 
of  pure  nitric  acid ;  after  boiling,  an  intense  blue  color  is  pro- 
duced if  but  a  trace  of  sugar  was  present.  Dextrin  does  not  give 
as  reliable  a  reaction  ;  the  copper  test  for  glucose  is  preferable  to 
detect  it. — Buchners  N.  Repert.^  1869,  24. 
"SWEET  QUININE:"  WHAT  IS  IT? 
By  the  Editor. 
We  have  been  repeatedly  asked  the  nature  of  the  substance 
