178  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {AmApr"fil£*rm' 
yield  from  20  to  30  per  cent,  podophyllotoxin. — A.  Kremel,  Pharm. 
Post,  1889,  105. 
Bor-iee}  a  patented  artificial  ice  is  made  by  freezing  a  solution  of 
boric  acid  or  borax.  After  the  melting  of  the  ice  the  antiseptic  addi- 
tion becomes  active  and  lengthens  the  time  of  preservation. — Rdsch., 
1889,  174. 
Cherry-gum  and  glue  as  substitutes  for  gum  arabic  in  making  emul- 
sions have  been  experimented  with  by  F.  Stokowetzki  who  finds  that 
cherry-gum  used  in  the  proportion  of  1  part  gum  to  2  parts  oil  makes  a 
very  thick  emulsion  ;  in  the  proportion  1  to  8  a  watery  emulsion  re- 
sults and,  hence,  easily  separates  ;  the  proportion  1  to  4  gives  the  con- 
sistence of  a  good  emulsion ;  the  partial  solubility  of  the  gum  gives  the 
emulsions  an  unelegant  appearance  due  to  the  presence  of  the  suspended 
particles  of  bassorin ;  but  by  pouring  through  a  fine  sieve  the  coarse  parti- 
cles are  removed  and  a  more  attractive  preparation  results.  The  addi- 
tion of  sodium  bicarbonate  to  such  an  emulsion  causes  an  immediate 
separation  with  formation  of  a  brown  color.  Glue  gives  emulsions  in 
the  proportion  1  to  2  of  excellent  appearance,  not  to  be  distinguished 
from  those  made  with  acacia  and  not  affected  by  sodium  bicarbonate. 
The  odor  of  the  glue  is  masked  but  not  so  the  taste ;  while  it  is  prob- 
able that  the  taste  of  the  glue  by  careful  preparation  may  be  remedied, 
it  is  doubtful  if  the  substitute  should  be  used,  especially  for 
persons  having  digestive  troubles. — Pharm.  Ztschr.  f.  Russl.,  1889, 
84. 
Sealing-wax,  indifferent  to  alcohol. — 5  parts  beeswax,  and  1  part 
each  carnauba-wax  and  paraffin  are  melted  together  and  heated  with 
5  parts  red-lead  and  2  parts  prepared  chalk,  with  constant  stirring, 
until  the  mixture  becomes  thick. — German  patent,  Rdsch.,  1889, 
176. 
Sulfonal. — The  preparation  of  this  chemical  involved  the  formation 
of  ethyl-mercaptan  (of  such  disagreeable  odor  that  factories  had  to  be 
erected  distant  from  inhabitation)  by  distillation  of  ethyl-sulphuric 
acid  and  potassium  sulphhydrate,  condensing  this  with  acetone  to  form 
mercaptol  which  on  oxidation  with  potassium  permanganate  yields  sul- 
fonal. A  recent  patent  granted  to  the  Farben-fabriken  (formerly  Fr. 
Bayer  &  Co.)  allows  of  the  manufacture  without  the  isolation  of  mer- 
captan  ;  ethyl  chloride  or  bromide  acting  upon  sodium  thiosulphate 
forms  sodium  ethyl  thiosulphate  which  when  treated  with  HC1  by  ad- 
dition of  H20  splits  into  ethyl  mercaptan  and  acid  sodium  sulphate  ; 
