Am/ept.r,'i889arm'}      Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  All 
addition  of  a  drop  of  sodium  hydrate  solution  changes  the  blue  color 
to  red.  The  test  applied  to  salts  of  morphine,  strychnine,  veratrine, 
and  atropine  gave  no  coloration  which  even  approached  the  above. — 
M.  Goeldner,  Pharm.  Ztg.,  1889,  471. 
Composition  of  some  non-drying  oils. — The  isolation  of  the  fluid 
acids  of  the  fixed  oils  being  difficult  and  in  some  cases  almost  impos- 
sible, K.  Hazura  and  A.  Griissner  adopted  a  procedure  in  which  the 
fluid  fatty  acids  were  first  oxidized  in  alkaline  solution  with  potassium 
permanganate  and  then  the  products  of  oxidation  separated  and  ex- 
amined. The  products  of  oxidation  of  those  acids  found  to  compose 
the  examined  oils  are  here  given  : 
Hypogwic  acid,  C16H30O2,  forms  dioxypalmitic  acid,  C16H30O2(OH)2. 
Oleic  acid,  C18H3402,  forms  dioxystearic  acid,  C1SH3402(0H)2. 
Linoleic  acid,  C18H3202,  forms  satiric  acid,  C18H3202(OH)4. 
Arachis  Oil. — The  fluid  fatty  acids  of  this  oil  consist  of  linoleic 
and  oleic  acids  and  probably  hypogseic  acid.  The  oil  obtained  from 
different  sources  was  found  to  contain  varying  quantities  of  hypog^eic 
acid  so  that  this  last  named  acid  is  at  times  difficult  to  isolate. 
Almond  Oil. — Thirty  grams  of  the  acids  from  this  oil  after  oxida- 
tion were  found  to  yield  3*8  gm.  sativic  acid  and  18  gm.  dioxy stearic 
acid  indicating  that  the  oleic  acid  is  accompanied  by  a  fair  quantity  of 
linoleic  acid  and  to  which  is  due  the  high  iodine  absorption  of  almond 
oil.  It  has  always  been  stated  that  almond  oil  furnished  the  purest 
oleic  acid  but  the  examination  of  other  non-drying  oils  may  reveal  an 
oil  free  from  the  glyceride  of  linoleic  acid. 
Sesame  Oil. — From  thirty  grams  of  the  acids  of  this  oil  could 
be  obtained  7  gm.  sativic  acid  and  12  gm.  dioxy  stearic  acid  ;  hence 
linoleic  acid  is  present  in  larger  amount  than  in  almond  oil. — Pharm. 
Post,  1889,  520  and  545. 
Sunfloiver  Oil  consists  chiefly  of  the  glycerides  of  linoleic  and  oleic 
acids ;  as  the  latter  is  present  'only  in  minute  quantity  this  oil  fur- 
nishes the  best  material  for  the  preparation  and  study  of  linoleic  acid. 
— A.  Hazura,  {Monatsh.  der  Chemie) ;  Arch,  der  Pharm.,  1889,  654. 
Uralium,  a  New  Hypnotic— Dr.  G.  Poppe,  of  Bologna,  recently 
presented  the  Medico-  chirurgical  Society  of  that  city  with  a  monograph  on 
uralium,  a  new  hpynotic,  being  a  composition  of  chloral  and  urethan. 
Poppe  claims  that  it  is  both  safe  and  efficient,  and  strongly  recommends 
it  in  cases  of  insomnia  of  hysterical  origin  or  cardiac  trouble. — Gaz.  dpgli 
Ospitali ;  Med.  News,  May  25. 
