AmMa°rch,^9rm'}      Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  131 
cerin  (8  mol.) ;  solubility  same  as  Na  compound.  Magnesium  boro- 
glyceride  made  in  the  same  manner  as  the  preceding,  magnesia  4  parts 
(1  mol.),  boric  acid  24*8  parts  (4  mol.),  glycerin  76  parts  (8  mol.). 
This  compound,  very  soluble  in  alcohol  aud  water,  appears  under  the 
name  of  "  Antifungin,"  as  an  aqueous  solution  of  some  merit  in  throat 
affections. 
The  use  of  more  glycerin  in  these  preparations  yields  hygroscopic 
products,  more  boric  acid  or  borate,  less  soluble  products.  If  the  me- 
tallic compounds  be  treated  with  ether  or  acetic  ether,  they  are  decom- 
posed into  boric  acid,  soluble  in  the  menstruum,  and  a  compound  of 
the  base  with  glycerin  which  is  insoluble  in  the  ethers,  but  afterwards 
is  readily  soluble  in  water,  the  solution  possessing  an  alkaline  reac- 
tion.— Pharm.  Ztschr.  f.  RussL,  1889,  1,  17. 
Alhaloidal  Tests. — Acetate  of  brucine  in  dilute  solution  with  lead 
dioxide  gives  after  a  short  time  a  red  coloration  ;  acetate  and  oxalate 
of  apomorphine  in  dilute  solutions  on  addition  of  lead  dioxide  or  hy- 
drated  manganese  dioxide,  a  cherry-red  color. —  Chemiher  Ztg., 
1889,  95. 
Electrode  indicator,  a  test  paper  to  indicate  the  negative  pole  of  an 
electrical  machine  can  be  made  by  impregnating  turmeric  or  red  lit- 
mus paper  with  sodium  chloride  ;  its  use  depends  upon  the  separation 
of  metallic  sodium,  which  rapidly  in  presence  of  water  forms  sodium 
hydrate ;  if  the  moistened  paper  is  touched  by  the  negative  pole  a 
brown  or  blue  spot,  according  to  the  paper  used,  at  once  appears.  A 
commercial  indicator  consists  of  blotting  paper  saturated  with  sodium 
sulphate  and  phenolphtalein,  which  is  turned  red  by  the  negative 
pole. — Pharm.  Centralh.,  1889,  16. 
Pyrodine  and  Acetphenylhydrazid. — According  to  investigations  of 
Prof  Dreschfeld  the  latter  if  pure  is  four  times  as  active  as  the  former, 
the  dose  being,  for  adults,  0" 12-0*  18  gm.  (2  to  3  grains).  These  two 
substances,  hence,  are  not,  as  generally  believed,  identical ;  pyrodine 
being  a  crude  product  containing  acetphenylhydrazid. — (Therap. 
Monatsh.)  Pharm.  Ztg.,  1889,  15. 
Iodoform. — B.  Fischer  in  studying  the  action  of  solvents  upon  this 
body  finds  that,  if  pure  iodoform  be  dissolved  in  solvents  free  from  dis- 
solved air  and  without  access  of  air,  the  solution  will  keep  of  a  light 
yellow  color  so  long  as  air  be  excluded ;  if  air  be  admitted  decompo- 
sition takes  place  in  a  few  minutes  attended  by  liberation  of  iodine. 
The  presence  of  certain  substances  retards  this  decomposition ;  these 
