GLEANINGS  FROM  FOREIGN  JOURNALS. 
27 
liquid  with  a  very  small  proportion  of  orange-colored  resinoid 
matter,  which  appeared  to  be  the  same  as  that  from  Indian 
hemp. 
It  is  very  clear,  from  these  results  that  the  extract  of  common 
hemp  may  be  easily  detected  by  its  solubility  in  caustic  alkali, 
and  the  small  portion  of  resinoid  it  yields  by  nitric  acid. 
1.  The  extract  of  Indian  hemp  before  alluded  to  as  being  40 
per  cent,  of  resin,  was  tried  by  these  tests,  and  the  resinous  mat- 
ter found  to  correspond  with  that  made  from  gunjah. 
2.  Squire's  extract  in  ounce  jars  afforded  a  large  proportion 
of  resin,  which  reacted  with  nitric  acid  like  that  obtained  from 
gunjah. 
3.  A  sample  from  my  cabinet,  fifteen  years  old,  nearly  dry,  in 
dark  greenish-black  masses.  This,  when  acted  on  by  nitric  acid, 
did  not  lose  its  greenish  color,  and  altogether  behaved  differently 
from  that  made  from  gunjah. 
4.  Guaiac  resin,  treated  with  nitric  acid,  first  became  blue, — 
afterwards  yellowish  brown,  but  yielded  no  yellow  resinoid. 
5.  Common  resin  yielded  a  yellowish  resinous  product  by 
nitric  acid,  but  entirely  different  from  that  obtained  from  hemp 
resin ;  in  fact  none  of  the  resins  tried  have  afforded  a  product 
similar  to  that  from  Indian  hemp. 
Whatever  merit  there  may  be  in  this  test,  it  must  be  made 
more  manifest  by  further  experiments,  with  a  series  of  extracts 
of  known  origin  and  therapeutic  powers,  so  that  it  may  be  seen 
whether  the  results  of  testing  are  parallel  with  medicinal  power : 
and  the  attention  of  members  is  invited  to  the  subject,  that  they 
may,  from  samples  tried  by  the  physicians  of  their  several  neigh- 
borhoods, apply  these  tests,  and  ascertain  their  real  value  or  ac- 
curacy.— From  Proc.  Amer.  JPharm.  Assoc.,  1864. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  FOREIGN  JOURNALS. 
By  Prof.  F.  F.  Mayer. 
On  Chelidonic  Acid. — C.  Wilde  (Annalen  der  Chemie  u. 
Pharm.,  Band   cxxvii.,  page    164,  August,  1863,)  has  exa- 
mined the  silver  salt  of  this  acid,  and  the  action  of  heat  and  of 
bromine  on  the  acid  itself. 
Chelidonate  of  silver  has  a  composition  expressed  by  the 
