294  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {Am'ji°nZ'w9&Tm* 
Assay  of  coca  leaves. — 50  grams  of  the  powdered  leaves  are  mixed 
with  water  and  20  grams  magnesia,  dried  at  60°  and  extracted  with 
ether  •  the  solvent  is  distilled  off,  the  residue  is  exhausted  with  2  per 
cent,  hydrochloric  acid  (about  30  cc.  are  needed),  the  acid  solution  fil- 
tered and  agitated  with  ether  until  coloring  matter  is  no  longer  ex- 
tracted, then  rendered  alkaline  with  ammonia  and  agitated  with  three 
successive  portions  of  ether  of  25  cc.  each  ;  after  drying  the  ether  with 
fused  calcium  chloride,  the  ethereal  solution  is  separated,  the  ether  dis- 
tilled off  and  the  residue  weighed,  after  drying  in  a  dessicator. — Tan 
d.  March,  Pharm.  Ztg.,  1889,  282. 
Narceine. — The  melting  point  is  given  by  various  investigators  from 
92°  to  162°.  E.  Merck,  in  examining  the  narceine  of  commerce,  found 
that  all  specimens  contained  acids,  most  frequently  HC1  and  H2S04> 
occasionally  acetic  acid,  in  addition  to  other  organic  impurities ;  one 
sample  contained  as  much  as  14  per  cent,  narceine  hydrochlorate.  In 
purifying  the  alkaloid  it  was  found  that  the  last  portions  of  acid  were 
only  after  great  difficulty  removed  ;  the  best  results,  although  attended 
with  considerable  loss,  were  obtained  by  precipitating  the  hydrochlo- 
rate with  ammonia,  the  alkaline  hydrates  or  their  carbonates.  Pure 
narceine  melts  at  170-171°,  beginning  to  decompose  at  the  same  tem- 
perature, possesses  a  faint  alkaline  reaction  and  has  great  affinity  for 
the  acids  absorbing,  when  moistened,  HC1  from  the  atmosphere.  The 
presence  of  the  hydrochlorate  lowers  appreciably  the  melting  point ; 
for  medicinal  use,  no  preparation,  containing  meconin,  or  melting 
below  165°,  should  be,  employed. —  Chemiker  Ztg.,  1889,  525. 
Cera  amylata,  pulverulent  wax,  is  a  pill  excipient  recommended  by 
H.  Hager  for  pills  containing  volatile  or  fixed  oils,  or  substances 
difficultly  miscible  with  water,  as  extract  of  male  fern,  menthol, 
guaiacol,  creasote,  etc.  It  is  prepared  by  cutting  with  a  thin  sharp 
knife  fine  shavings  of  pure  beeswax,  exposing  them  for  some  days  to 
the  ordinary  temperature  to  remove  adhering  moisture,  weighing  and 
mixing  an  equal  weight  of  dry  rice  starch  with  one-half  of  the 
shavings  in  a  porcelain  mortar  with  rough  surface;  care  must  be 
taken  that  the  temperature  of  the  mixing  does  not  exceed  16°C.  ; 
after  powdering,  the  remaining  half  of  the  shavings  are  incorporated 
and  trituration  continued  until  a  fine  powder  is  obtained,  which  is  at 
once  sifted  and  placed  in  tight-fitting  containers. — Pharm.  Ztg.,  1889, 
431. 
Jeyesy  creolin  contains,  according  to  a  thorough  examination  by 
