Am.  Jour.  Pharm. ) 
Sept.,  1881.  J 
Practical  Notes. 
457 
Water,        ....  24  drops. 
Oleoresin  of  male  fern,    .  .  .      4*0  grams. 
Powdered  gum  arable,  .  .  1'2  " 
Add  water  sufficient. 
M.  Limousin  effects  the  emulsion  simply  by  the  use  of  yolk  of  egg. 
— Bull,  et  Mem.,  Soc.  de  Therap.,  March  30,  p.  57. 
Solubility  of  Morpliia  in  Water. — P.  Chastaing  determined  tliat 
1  liter  of  water  at  3°C.  dissolves  0*03  gram,  at  22°C.  0*22  gram,  and 
at  42°C.  0*42  gram  of  morphia.  Above  45°C.  the  solubility  increases 
rapidly,  and  at  the  boiling  point  1  liter  of  water  dissolves  2"17  grams 
of  morphia.— i^fy^.  de  Phar.,  May,  p.  219-222. 
Solution  of  Morphia. — According  to  Prof.  Hamberg  of  Stockholm 
morphia  sulphate  is  less  prone  to  decomposition  and  to  the  formation 
of  mycelia  than  the  hydrochlorate  and  other  salts ;  the  sulphate  is 
therefore  best  adapted  for  medicinal  morphia  solution.  It  should  be 
■dissolved  in  boiling  distilled  water  which  is  free  from  ammonia,  phos- 
phoric, nitric  and  nitrous  acid;  the  solution  should  be  filtered  through 
paper  not  previously  moistened,  and  is  best  preserved  in  small  well 
£lled  vials  closed  with  a  glass  stopper. — Phar.  Zeitung,  No.  49. 
Powdered  ergot  deprived  of  the  fixed  oil,  and  kept  in  well  dried 
'2-ounce  vials,  has  been  kept  by  G.  Zschiesing  for  two  years  without 
losing  its  efficacy,  and  by  E.  Bombelon  for  nine  years  with  the  same 
result.    The  oil  is  removed  by  ether. — Ibid.,  No.  49,  51. 
Reaction  of  the  P^oma'ms.— According  to  Brouardel  and  Boutmy, 
the  sulphates  of  the  ptomains  reduce  instantly  ferridcyanide  of  j)otas- 
sium  to  ferrocyanide,  and  the  mixture  then  precipitates  Prussian  blue 
on  the  addition  of  ferric  chloride.  Of  the  vegetable  alkaloids  only 
morphia  effects  the  same  reduction  at  once  ;  veratria  reduces  only  traces 
of  the  ferridcyanide. — Berichte,  xiv.,  1293  ;  Compt.  rend.,  xcii.,  1056. 
Reactions  of  Peptones. — According  to  C.  H.  Tanret  peptones 
obtained  with  pancreation  and  with  pepsin  yield,  with  the  ordi- 
nary reagents  for  alkaloids,  precipitates,  which,  however,  are  dissolved 
by  an  excess  of  peptone.  Coagulated  albumen  dissolved  in  caustic 
soda  and  the  solution  neutralized,  yields  a  filtrate,  which,  like  the  pep- 
tones, yields  a  violet-red  color  with  Fehling's  solution.  This  modified 
albumen,  like  peptone,  is  not  precipitated  by  lime,  is  soluble  in  ordi- 
nary alcohol,  and  since  other  albuminoids  are  likely  to  possess  the  same 
property,  it  is  obvious  that  precipitates  obtained  with  potassio-mer- 
<!uric  iodide,  bromine  water,  tannin,  etc.,  are  not  conclusive  proofs  of 
the  presence  of  an  alkaloid. 
