608  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {AmDe0cu,ril9arm^ 
tated  as  a  pale  yellow  precipitate  by  lead  acetate.  These  reactions 
point  to  the  presence  of  some  artificial  non-vegetable  coloring. 
The  true  saffron  in  the  mixture  yielded  5*7  per  cent,  of  ash,  about 
the  normal  amount,  and  deposited  no  pulverulent  substance  on  soak- 
ing in  water. 
A  somewhat  similar  adulteration  of  saffron  was  reported  by  W. 
Brandes,  Pharm.  Ztg.,  1879,  p.  506  (see  Amer.  Jour  of  Phar., 
1879,  p.  558),  who  reported  50  per  cent,  of  stems  obtained  from  a 
plant  belonging  to  the  Graminese  or  Caricinese,  probably  from  Cavex 
capillaris,  the  stems  being  loaded  with  calcium  carbonate  previously 
colored  with  cochineal. 
The  second  lot  of  saffron  was  genuine  Spanish  saffron,  excellent  in 
color  and  odor,  contaminated  with  but  a  small  quantity  of  the 
yellow  styles  and  a  few  stamens,  but  loaded  with  sodium  sulphate.  It 
yielded  17  per  cent,  of  fusible  ash.  The  adulteration  of  saffron  with 
soluble  salts,  such  as  the  borate,  carbonate  and  sulphate  of  sodium  and 
ammonium  salts,  has  been  previously  reported  in  France  by  M.  Adrian 
(Jour,  de  Pharmacie  et  de  Chimie,  1889,  p.  98),  and  in  England  by 
E.  M.  Holmes  (Phar.  Journ.  aud  Trans.,  February,  1889,  p.  666). 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  Frank  X.  Moerk,  Ph.  G. 
Tannin  is  warmly  recommended  in  cases  of  severe  burns  and  scalds,  it 
quickly  relieving  pain  and  causing  rapid  healing.  It  is  applied  in  5- 
per  cent,  solution  by  allowing  the  solution  to  trickle  over  the  sore ;  this 
is  repeated  whenever  the  bandage  is  changed;  a  cooling  ointment  is 
applied  after  the  tannin  solution. — Pharm.  Ztg.,  1889,  630.  (See  also 
Amer.  Jour.  Phar.,  1886,  p.  611.) 
Sodium  thiosulphate  in  commercial  bicarbonate  is  occasionally 
found;  the  quantity  being  generally  small,  J.  Liittke  uses  the  following 
method  for  its  detection  :  A  solution  of  the  bicarbonate  (1:30)  is  acid- 
ified with  hydrochloric  acid  and  a  few  cc.  of  a  solution  of  barium 
nitrate  added;  in  presence  of  sulphate  a  white  turbidity  is  produced 
which  must  be  removed  by  filtration  after  standing  for  some  time. 
To  the  clear  filtrate  is  now  added  a  single  drop  of  a  solution  of  per- 
manganate of  potassium  (1:1000)  when  if  thiosulphate  was  present  a 
white  precipitate  of  barium  sulphate  is  produced. — Pharm.  Ztg.,  1889, 
629. 
