246  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {Am,Mayr'i8S9arm' 
metals,  which  have  acid  reactions,  or  of  free  phosphoric  acid.  To  ob- 
tain a  sensitive  litmus  paper  recourse  must  be  taken  to  some  other 
mineral  acid,  preferably  HC1.  The  following  method  furnishes  lit- 
mus paper  which  easily  indicates  alkalinity,  as  KOH,  in  1  :  20000 ; 
acidity,  as  HC1,  1  :  50000  ;  100  gms.  litmus  in  cubes  are  triturated 
with  40  gms.  water  to  form  a  paste,  which  is  then  rinsed  into  a  flask 
with  960  gms.  water,  agitated  repeatedly  during  six  hours,  allowed  to 
stand  a  few  days,  filtered  and  washed  with  water  to  make  1000  gms. ; 
to  the  filtrate  add  5  gms.  hydrochloric  acid,  warm  on  a  water-bath  to 
expel  C02,  and,  in  case  the  blue  color  reappears,  add  HC1  drop  by 
drop  until  a  permanent  red  color  results,  evaporate  to  900  gms.  and 
divide  into  two  portions.  To  one  portion  add  lime  water  until  the 
liquid  becomes  wine-red  in  color  ;  through  this  solution  pass  strips  of 
neutral  filter  paper,  should  the  latter  be  acid  in  reaction  wet  wTith 
dilute  ammonia  water  and  dry ;  the  test  paper  is  of  a  wine-red  color 
and  of  the  above  degree  of  sensitiveness.  To  the  other  portion  add 
carefully,  first,  a  few  drops  of  solution  of  potash  and  then  lime  water 
until  a  strip  of  paper  moistened  with  the  solution  on  drying  just  ap- 
pears blue.  The  blue  paper  is  not  changed  by  silver  nitrate  or  the 
neutral  compounds  of  Ba,  Sr  and  Ca  precipitated  ferrous  sulphate 
merely  imparts  a  red-violet  color ;  a  solution  of  lead  acetate  does  not 
affect  the  paper  but  very  often  this  chemical  will  show  an  alkaline  re- 
action due  to  loss  of  acetic  acicl. — E.  Utescher,  Apoth.  Ztg.y  1889,  279. 
Adeps  benzoatus  is  best  prepared  by  dissolving  one  part  true  sub- 
limed benzoic  acid  in  one  hundred  parts  melted  lard  ;  such  a  prepara- 
tion possesses  a  finer  appearance,  more  pleasant  odor,  less  reducing 
action  (on  salts  of  silver),  is  of  uniform  quality  and  keeps  as  well  as 
the  preparation  made  with  benzoin. — E.  Utescher,  Apoth.  Ztg.,  1889, 
280. 
Myrtle  oil  and  myrtol  have  recently  been  examined  by  E.  Jahns 
prompted  by  their  increased  use  in  affections  of  the  respiratory  organs 
and  the  bladder.  The  myrtle  oil  of  Spanish  origin  (in  contra  distinc- 
tion of  a  Corsican  oil  which  is  also  found  in  commerce  distinguishable 
by  a  finer  odor)  is  of  a  light  yellow  color,  is  dextrogyre  and  has,  at 
10°  C,  the  specific  gravity  0*910.  It  commences  to  boil  at  160°  and 
fractioned,  eighty  percent,  distil  over  below  240°,  the  residue  is  stated 
to  consist  of  resinified  and  polymerized  terpenes.  From  the  differ- 
ent fractions  between  160°  and  240°  were  isolated  1,  a  terpene, 
very  probably  dextrogyre- pinene,  boiling  at  158 — 160°;  2,  Cineol 
