Am'octu,ri889.arm'}      Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  507 
acid  solution.  5,  0*1  gm.  boiled  with  1  cc.  solution  of  potassium  hy- 
drate, allowed  to  cool  and  5-8  drops  of  tu  normal  potassium  permanga- 
nate solution  added. 
I 
11 
Ill 
IV 
V 
Methacetin. 
soluble 
slowly 
reddish  brown 
blood  red. 
immediately 
green. 
gi*een 
then  yel- 
lowish brown. 
Phenacetin. 
insoluble. 
slowly  yellow. 
blood  red. 
yellow,  after  a 
few  minutes 
green. 
dark 
green. 
Acetanilid. 
soluble, 
but  re-pre- 
cipitated. 
colorless. 
yellow. 
yellow;  only 
after  some 
hours  green. 
dark  green 
with 
disagreeable 
odor  of 
carbylamin. 
In  this  connection  mention  was  also  made  of  the  melting  point 
of  acetanilid,  commercial  specimens  melting  at  111°,  112°,  113°, 
114°  and  as  high  as  125°C.  The  melting  point  is  stated  by  different 
authorities  from  113°  to  115°;  the  wide  limits  here  recorded  are  pro- 
duced by  admixture  of  acettoluid. — E.  Ritsert,  Pharm.  Ztg.,  1889, 
546. 
The  color  reaction  for  cocaine  with  resorcin,  (see  Am.  Jour,  of 
Pharm.,  1889,  470)  tried  by  a  number  of  German  pharmacists  and 
chemists  disclosed  the  fact  that  only  one  brand  of  cocaine  hydrochlo- 
rate  gave  the  blue  color.  Further  investigation  proved  that  the  brand 
giving  the  test  contained  minute  traces  of  nitrate  as  impurity,  the 
quantity  of  which  was  so  small  that  neither  the  indigo  nor  the  ferrous 
sulphate  test  could  be  obtained.  Instead  of  discovering  a  new  reaction 
for  cocaine  salts  Mr.  Goeldner  discovered  a  very  sensitive 
Reaction  for  nitrates  carried  out  as  follows  :  If  to  a  solution  of  0*01 
gm.  resorcin  in  6-7  drops  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  be  added  0*02 
gm.  of  the  substance  containing  a  nitrate,  a  beautiful  blue  color  is 
obtained  which  increases  in  intensity. — Pharm.  Ztg.,  1889,  515. 
Animal  and  Vegetable  Fats. — The  investigations  of  R.  Benedikt 
and  K.  Hazura  establish  the  facts  that  the  vegetable  fats  always  con- 
tain linoleic  acid  while  the  animal  fats  contain  no  fluid  fatty  acid 
other  than  oleic  acid.  For  the  physiologist  these  findings  are  inter- 
esting if  not  important.  A  practical  value  is  also  indicated,  namely, 
the  identification  of  commercial  oleic  acids  as  derived  from  vegetable 
or  animal  sources.    This  is  possible  by  isolating  the  products  of  oxi- 
