20  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {Am'jS^iS9arm' 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  F.  X.  Moerk,  Ph.  G. 
Carbohydrates  in  urine. — N.  Wedenski,  by  precipitation  with  ben- 
zoyl chloride  in  presence  of  NaOH,  obtained  the  compound  ethers  of 
two  carbohydrates,  of  which  one  was  decomposed  by  boiling  with  ex- 
cess of  NaOH  ;  the  other  was  not  acted  upon  by  this  reagent  but  was 
afterward  easily  decomposed  by  boiling  with  dilute  H2S04.  The 
former  corresponds  to  the  compound  ether  of  the  starch  group,  the 
latter  to  the  glucose  group.  Fehling's  solution  is  reduced  by  the  lat- 
ter, but  only  after  treatment  with  dilute  acids  by  the  former ;  this  also 
answers  to  the  test  for  animal  gum  found  by  Landwehr  in  urine  by 
precipitating  with  copper  sulphate,  washing,  drying,  dissolving  in  HC1 
adding  alcohol  when  the  substance  is  reprecipitated,  especially  on 
warming  to  60°. — Ztschr.  f.  Physiol.  Chemie,  xiii,  122. 
Digitalis  ambigua,  which  in  some  countries  is  more  common  than  D. 
purpurea,  contains  according  to  Paschkis,  the  same  constituents  found 
in  D.  purpurea.  Following  the  method  of  §chiniedeberg  he  obtained 
digitonin,  digitonein,  digitoginin,  digitalin,  digitalein  and  digitoxin. 
In  an  aqueous  extract  chrysophanic  acid  was  detected.  The  me- 
dicinal properties  of  the  two  drugs  are  identical. — Apoth.  Ztg.,  1888, 
869. 
Diphenylmethylpyrazol  analogous  in  composition  with  antipyrine 
and  used  for  the  same  purpose,  is  made  by  the  action  of  benzoyl-acetic 
ether  upon  phenyl-hydrazine  and  then  introducing  the  methyl  group. 
It  forms  white  needles  melting  at  150°,  is  difficultly  soluble  in  water 
and  ether,  easily  soluble  in  alcohol  and  glacial  acetic  acid,  and  differs 
from  antipyrine  in  being  a  strong  base ;  also  in  the  reactions  with  ni- 
tric acid  and  with  ferric  chloride,  these  not  being  so  characteris- 
tic.— (Ztschr.  f.  Angew.  Chem.)  Pharm.  Centralh.,  1888,  463. 
Iodoform  in  its  behavior  towards  ether  differs  considerably,  some 
brands  marked  absolute  giving  with  this  solvent  dark  colored  solu- 
tions owing  to  liberation  of  iodine,  probably  due  to  an  impurity  of 
the  iodoform  which  is  decomposed  by  ether. — Neuss,  Pharm.  Ztschr. 
f.  Russl.,  1888,  681. 
Benzoic  Acid  crystals  on  vanilla  beans  may  be  distinguished  micro- 
scopically from  vanillin ;  the  former  are  needle-shaped,  the  latter  tab- 
ular crystals.  Dilute  sodium  carbonate  will  extract  the  former  and  on 
acidifying  with  sulphuric  acid  and  adding  a  little  metallic  magnesium 
