356  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {Amju°?^&89arm' 
isomeric  with  atropine,  hyoscyanrine  and  hyoscine,  the  double  chlor- 
ides with  the  following  metals  possess  different  melting  points  :  with 
Au,  153-155°  ;  with  Pt,  194-196°  ;  with  Hg,  160-161°;  the  crys- 
talline forms  of  these  double  salts  are  not  identical  with  those  of 
the  three  alkaloids  mentioned.  The  conversion  of  mandragorine  into 
atropine  by  the  action  of  sodium  hydrate  could  not  be  effected. 
A  second  alkaloid  in  very  minute  quantity  was  extracted  by  treating 
the  residue  of  the  above  alcohol  extraction  with  water  acidulated  with 
HC1,  concentrating,  adding  K2C03  in  excess  and  agitating  with  ether ; 
the  residue  after  evaporating  the  ether  was  also  mydriatic  and 
formed  double  chlorides  with  Au,  melting  point,  147-153°  ;  with  Pt, 
melting  point,  179-181°. — F.  B.  Ahrens  (Liebig's  Ann.),  Pharm. 
Ztg.,  1889,  308. 
Lithium  salts. — Sulphate  of  lithium  is  generally  quoted  as  being 
soluble  in  alcohol.  F.  Kobbe  found  that  one  part  sulphate,  Li2S04-f- 
H20,  is  soluble  in  8000  parts  of  alcohol  specific  gravity  0  812,  in  125 
parts  of  alcohol  specific  gravity  0*885,  and  in  79  parts  of  specific 
gravity  0*902  ;  the  presence  of  sulphuric  acid  increases  the  solubility, 
one  part  sulphate  with  an  equal  weight  of  concentrated  sulphuric 
acid  dissolving  in  43  parts  of  alcohol  specific  gravity  0*885.  Acid 
lithium  sulphate  cannot  be  prepared;  a  mixture  of  normal  sulphate 
with  H2S04,  after  moderate  heating,  had  a  composition  approaching 
that  for  LiHS04,  but  the  addition  of  alcohol  decomposed  it  into 
Li2S04  and  H2S04.  The  solubility  of  the  sulphate  can  be  used  as  a 
test  of  purity  for  carbonate  of  lithium :  0*5  gm.  carbonate  of  lithium 
dissolved  in  10  gm.  dilute  sulphuric  acid  must  remain  clear  on  addi- 
tion of  20  cc.  alcohol.  From  3  to  4  per  cent,  potassium  carbonate 
and  as  little  as  0*5  per  cent,  calcium  carbonate  can  be  detected  by  this 
test ;  sodium  carbonate  in  quantities  to  10  per  cent,  cannot  be  detected, 
but  here  recourse  is  had  to  the  flame  test,  5  per  cent.  Na2C03  entirely 
obscuring  the  lithium  flame.  This  test  is  more  delicate  than  the  one 
based  on  the  solubility  of  the  chloride  in  alcohol. — Pharm.  Ztg.,  1889, 
312. 
Commercial  Oleic  Acid  is  largely  adulterated  with  linoleic  acid ; 
the  presence  of  one  per  cent,  can  be  detected  by  saponifying  50  gm. 
of  the  sample  with  alcoholic  potassium  hydrate  solution,  evaporating 
the  alcohol,  dissolving  the  soap  in  one  liter  water  and  thoroughly 
mixing  the  soap  solution,  which  must  be  strongly  alkaline,  with  one  liter 
of  a  5  per  cent,  potassium  permanganate  solution ;  after  standing  J-l 
