AmFeT'imarm'}      Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  77 
verted  into  iodoform ;  the  excess  of  iodine  is  present  as  iodide  and 
hypoiodite  of  potassium  which  react,  on  acidifying  with  hydrochloric 
acid,  with  each  other  to  liberate  iodine  which  is  then  titrated  with 
standard  sodium  hyposulphite.  Every  759*6  parts  iodine  used  repre- 
sent 58  parts  acetone. — J.  Messinger,  Ber.  d.  D.  Chem.  Ges.,  1888, 
3366. 
Ash  Determinations. — G.  Kassner  recommends  the  addition  of  an 
equal  weight  of  finely  divided  metallic  silver  to  such  organic  sub- 
stances as  are  difficultly  incinerated.  The  use  is  based  upon  silver 
absorbing  oxygen  at  higher  temperatures  which  is  then  readily  yielded 
to  the  carbonaceous  matter.  F.  Stolba  has  obtained  complete  incin- 
eration, in  J  to  f  hours,  of  substances  which,  without  this  addition, 
required  six  hours.  Ferric  oxide  can  be  used  in  the  same  way,  but 
the  ash  is  not  so  easily  examined.  Platinic  chloride  and  spongy  pla- 
tinum have  been  used  with  the  same  result  as  with  metallic  silver. — 
Pharm.  Ztg.,  1888,  766,  781. 
Manganese  oxalate,  if  added  to  oils  in  quantity  varying  from  2  to 
5  per  cent.,  had  decided  advantages  over  other  mauganese  or  lead  com- 
pounds in  the  manufacture  of  drying  oils  ;  the  oils  become  markedly 
drying,  and  remain  almost  white.  Manganese  oxalate  is  decomposed 
by  heat  into  manganous  oxide,  which  remains  in  the  oil,  and  carbon 
monoxide  and  dioxide  liberated  as  gases. — J.  Casthelaz  (Bull.  Soc. 
Chem.),  Chem.  Ept,  1888,  346. 
Nitrobenzol,  if  present  with  oil  of  bitter  almond,  can  be  detected  by 
the  following  method  :  Warm  with  a  little  sodium  hydrate  and  add 
ferrous  sulphate  to  destroy  odor  of  hydrocyanic  acid  ;  an  addition  of 
considerable  excess  of  potassium  permanganate  will  now  remove  the 
odor  of  oil  of  bitter  almond  by  oxidizing  this  compound  to  benzoic 
acid,  while  the  treatment  does  not  affect  the  nitrobenzol,  which  now 
can  be  easily  detected  by  its  odor. — Dr.  K.  List,  Chemiker  Ztg.,  1888, 
1727. 
Antifebrin  in  Phenacetin,  if  present  to  extent  of  five  per  cent,  or 
more,  can  be  readily  identified  by  making  a  saturated  aqueous  solu- 
tion, and  adding  to  this  half  a  volume  of  bromine  water.  Antife- 
brin decolorizes  the  bromine  water  immediately,  and  in  a  few  moments 
a  crystalline  precipitate  appears.  Phenacetin  neither  decolorizes  the 
bromine  water  nor  gives  the  precipitate,  which  is  supposed  to  be  acet 
parabromanilide,  and  is  almost  insoluble  in  water. — E.  Hirschsohn, 
Pharm.  Ztschr.f.  RussL,  1888,  794. 
