VARIETIES. 
83 
Observations  on  the  Different  Orange  Flower  Waters  found  in  Commerce. 
By  M.  Leguay. — There  are  three  sorts  of  orange  flower  waters  found  in 
commerce.  The  first  is  distilled  from  the  flowers ;  the  second  is  made  with 
distilled  water  and  neroli;  and  the  third  is  distilled  from  the  leaves,  the 
stems,  and  the  young  unripe  fruit  of  the  orange  tree.  The  first  may  be 
easily  distinguished  by  the  addition  of  a  few  drops  of  sulphuric  acid  to 
some  of  the  water  in  a  tube,  a  fine  rose  color  is  almost  immediately  pro- 
duced. The  second  also  gives  the  same  color  when  it  is  freshly  prepared ; 
but  after  a  certain  time,  two  or  three  months  at  the  farthest,  this  color  is 
no  longer  produced,  and  the  aroma  disappears  completely.  The  third  is  not 
discolored  by  the  addition  of  the  sulphuric  acid  ;  it  has  scarcely  any  odor, 
and  that  rather  an  odor  of  the  lemon  plant  than  of  orange  flowers. — 
Ibid,  from  Bulletin  de  la  Societe  Pharmaceutique  d'lndre  et  Loire. 
Nifric  Acid  in  Rain  Water. — M.  Barral  has  lately  found,  after  very  care- 
ful and  well-conducted  experiments,  which  stretched  over  more  than  six 
months,  that  the  rain  water  collected  at  Paris  contains  appreciable  quanti- 
ties of  nitric  acid.  This  discovery  has  been  confirmed  by  a  committee  ap- 
pointed by  the  Academy  of  Sciences,  and  composed  of  Messrs.  Dumas, 
Boussingault,  Gasparin,  Regnalt,  and  Arago.  It  is  supposed  that  the 
presence  of  nitric  acid  in  rain  water  will  explain  certain  hitherto  ill-under- 
stood telluric  phenomena,  and  lead  to  some  practical  applications.  It  is 
due  to  Dr.  Bence  Jones,  of  St.  George's  Hospital,  to  say,  that  he  had  already 
pointed  out  the  fact,  in  the  Philosophical  Transactions  of  1851,  as  to  the 
rain  water  collected  at  Kingston  (Surrey,)  Melburg  (Dorset,)  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Cork,  and  in  London.  Dr.  Bence  Jones  was  herein  in  opposition 
with  Liebig,  who  has  denied  that  rain  water  contained  appreciable  quanti- 
ties of  nitric  acid. — London  Lancet,  Mat/1,  1852. 
Extractum  Scillaz  Aceticum.    By  Mr.  F.  D.  Niblett. — Having  had  fre- 
quent complaints  from  Medical  men  as  to  their  "  inability  to  preserve  the 
Pulv,  Scillce  any  length  of  time  in  a  fit  state  for  dispensing/''  I  was  induced 
to  turn  my  attention  to  the  preparation  of  an  article  that  should  supply  its 
place,  and  be  at  all  times  readily  dispensed.    I  have  done  so  in  the  shape 
of  an  Acetic  Extract,  and  having  introduced  it  to  several  gentlemen,  who 
have  all  spoken  highly  of  it,  as  possessing  all  the  characteristics  of,  and 
decidedly  preferable  to,  the  powder,  with  which  they  have  hitherto  had  so 
much  trouble,  I  have  ventured  to  forward  you  the  modus  operandi : 
Extractum  Scillce  Aceticum. 
j$   Rad.  Scillae  lbj. 
Acid.  Acetic,   f  §iij. 
Aq.  Distil.  Oj. 
Digest  with  a  gentle  heat  for  forty-eight  hours,  express  by  strong  pres- 
