Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
May,  1889.  J 
Agaric  Acid. 
253 
The  titration  is  carried  out  as  follows : — The  solution  of  barium 
chloride  is  placed  in  a  beaker,  and  a  quarter  of  its  volume  of  alcohol 
added,  then  a  few  cc.  of  a  10  per  cent,  solution  of  sodium  carbonate 
containing  10  per  cent,  of  acetic  acid.  A  standard  solution  of  potas- 
sium dichromate  is  then  added  from  a  burette  till  the  end-reaction  is 
obtained.  Directions  are  given  for  the  preparation  of  the  standard  solu- 
tion :  the  most  convenient  was  found  to  be  one  of  which  each  cc.  cor- 
responded to  4 -05  mgrms.  of  HC1. 
The  method  was  tested  with  known  strengths  of  hydrochloric  acid, 
and  mixtures  of  hydrochloric  and  lactic  acids,  and  with  artificial  gas- 
tric juice,  lhe  results  obtained  were  exceedingly  accurate.  The 
paper  concludes  with  the  account  of  the  results  obtained  from  actual 
stomach-contents  by  the  use  of  the  method.  These  may  be  summar- 
ized as  follows  : — 
Case. 
Reactions  for  HC1. 
Reactions  for  lactic 
acid. 
Percentages. 
Total  acidity. 
HCL 
1  
Dnnblfnl  
Well  marked  
015 
0-29 
0-2 
0'295 
0-189 
014 
0-02 
0-132 
0-076 
0-138 
0-144 
0164 
0-03 
2  
Post  five    J  Poai  t/i  ve  
3  
4  
a 
Doubtful  
5  
u 
6  
Weak   
7  
Negative  
ON  AGARIC  ACID.1 
By  Dr.  Hofmeistee. 
Pure  agaric  acid  is  a  bibasic  triatomic  homologue  of  the  malic  acid 
CO  OH 
series,  having  the  formula  C14  H27  (OH)<qq  qjj'     Its  solubility 
is  but  slight  in  cold,  and  fair  in  boiling  water.  The  neutral  alkaline 
salts  dissolve  readily,  and,  like  the  salts  of  the  higher  fatty  acids,  easily 
break  up  in  solution  into  free  acid  and  basic  salt. 
Locally  its  action  is  that  of  an  irritant.  Injected  under  the  skin  it 
causes  intense  pain,  inflammation,  and  suppuration.  When  swallowed, 
large  doses  produce  vomiting  and  diarrhoea.    The  general  action  on 
1Archiv  fur  experimentelle  Pharmakologie,  XXV.,  Hft.  2 ;  abstract  reprinted 
from  The  Medical  Chronicle,  March,  1889. 
