Am"iov""i!sh9arcn'}      Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  563 
Sulfonal,  if  heated  strongly  with  reduced  iron  in  a  test-tube,  develops 
a  garlicky  odor,  forming  at  the  same  time  ferrous  sulphide  ;  after  cool- 
ing, to  the  contents  of  the  test-tube  is  added  an  excess  of  hydrochloric 
acid,  which  causes  the  evolution  of  hvdrogen  sulphide,  recognizable 
by  the  odor  or  blackening  of  lead  acetate  paper.  The  sample  of  reduced 
iron  should  be  tested  for  sulphide,  as  it  often  contains  traces  of  it,  for 
which  allowance  must  be  made. — T>Vefers-Bettink,  Apoth.  Ztg.,  1889, 
1043. 
Cocaine  Tests. — 1.  By  boiling  solutions  containing  cocaine  salts 
decomposition  is  effected,  with  production  of  ecgonine,  benzoic  acid  and 
methyl  alcohol;  the  formation  of  benzoic  acid  is  made  use  of  in  a  test 
by  Lerch  and  Scharges.  If  to  a  solution  of  cocaine  salts  one  drop  of 
solution  of  ferric  chloride  be  added  a  pale  yellow  coloration  results ; 
but  by  boiling  the  color  changes  through  orange  to  an  intense  red 
(resembling  the  color  of  ferric  sulphocvanate).  Of  other  substances 
giving  the  same  reaction  benzoic  acid  and' benzoyl-ecgonine  alone  need 
be  considered.  The  presence  of  the  former  is  not  likely,  but  may  be 
detected  by  its  difficult  solution  in  water ;  benzoyl-ecgonine  melts  at 
198°C,  and  is  easily  soluble  in  water  and  alcohol,  but  insoluble  in 
ether.  Cocaine  differs  from  benzoyl-ecgonine  by  melting  at  98°C,  and 
its  ready  solubility  in  water,  alcohol  and  ether. — Schwz.  Wochensch.  f. 
Pharm.,  1889,  293. 
2.  A  few  drops  of  a  cocaine  solution  with  2-3  cc.  chlorine  water 
and  2-3  drops  of  a  5  per  cent,  palladium  chloride  solution,  give  a 
fine  red  precipitate,  slowly  decomposed  by  water,  insoluble  in  alcohol 
and  ether,  but  soluble  in  a  solution  of  sodium  thiosulphate.  Anal- 
ogous tests  with  seventy  other  alkaloids  gave,  in  many  cases,  variously 
colored  solutions  without  precipitates  or,  in  other  cases,  dirty  white 
or  pale-red  precipitates.  The  test  is  so  delicate  as  to  detect  traces  of 
cocaine  salts,  in  which  case  the  precipitation  occurs  only  after  several 
minutes,  and  is  facilitated  by  gentle  agitation. — Dr.  Greittherr, 
Pharm.  Ztg.,  1889,  617. 
Synthetic  carbolic  acid  is  now  manufactured  for  chemical  and 
medicinal  use  by  the  "  Badische  Anilin-  unci  Sodafabrik."  It 
melts  at  41-42°  C.  (the  best  commercial  pure  acid  melts  at  39*5°,  the 
general  melting-point  being  35-37°)  and  boils  at  178°C.  (181°  if  the 
thermometer  is  completely  immersed  in  the  vapor).  It  is  colorless, 
forms  with  water  an  absolutely  clear  solution  and  differs  most  notably 
from  the  coal-tar  acid  by  the  purity  of  its  odor,  which  is  rather  faint ; 
