r 
8 
Analysis  of  a  3Iiner(fL 
Aui.  .Jijiir.  I'harui. 
From  the  results  obtained  from  i/it  is  evident  that  gum  must  be 
found  in  extract  of  licorice  root.  The  author  was  assured  by  the 
manufacturers  that  the  sample  A  contained  no  trace  of  admixture,  and 
the  larger  amount  of  gum  is  doubtless  due  to  the  root  being  exhausted 
by  steam.  The  samples  E,  F  and  (r  show  such  a  striking  difference 
from  the  others  that  the  intentional  addition  of  gum  cannot  be  doubted; 
it  was  probably  made  with  the  view  of  giving  the  licorice  a  fine  appear- 
ance, particularly  when  broken,  but  tlie  addition  makes  it  useless  for 
pharmaceutical  pur])oses. 
The  microscopic  investigation  revealed  remnants  of  cells  and  starch 
granules  in  all  samples.  The  deformed  starch  granules  of  J.,  ^,  O 
and  I)  were  i)robably  obtained  from  the  root.  E  contained  potato 
starch,  Fa  mixture  of  wheat  and  potato  starches,  G  starch  deformed 
by  heat.  contained,  l:)esides  some  remains  of  cells  and  deformed 
starch  granules,  crystals  of  sugar. 
Insoluble  Gum. — The  author  also  describes  a  commercial  g-iun  arabic 
of  fine  appearance,  which  is  evidently  identical  with  the  gum  Savakin 
described  by  G.  Reimann  in  ^^Anier.  Jour.  Phar.,"  1880,  p.  155. 
With  2  parts  of  water  it  yielded  a  consistent  glairy  liquid  which  it 
was  nearly  impossible  to  pour  out  of  a  bottle;  on  mixing  with  more 
water  a  sediment  of  undissolved  particles  was  formed.  Heating  the 
gum  for  several  days  to  95 °C.,  or  boiling  it  for  48  hours  with  water, 
produced  no  change  in  this  respect;  but  the  gum  dissolved  readily  in 
lime-water,  and  the  solution  could  be  diluted  without  producing  a  pre- 
cipitate. 
The  gum  was  found  to  contain  5*93  per  cent,  of  water  and  to  yield 
3' 17  per  cent,  of  ash;  the  latter  contained  lime  49*693,  magnesia  6*800, 
potassa  3*400,  carbonic  acid  40*10  per  cent.  It  will  be  observed  that 
the  percentage  of  lime  is  considerable,  while  there  is  a  deficiency  of 
magnesia  and  still  greater  ones  of  potassa  and  of  water. 
NOTE  ON  THE  ANALYSIS  OF  A  MINERAL  STATED 
TO  CONT/VIN  MOLYBDENUM. 
By  Fkedekick  B.  Powek. 
Head  at  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting^  Dec.  20. 
Having  been  presented  a  short  time  ago,  through  the  kindness  of 
Mr.  Charles  Bullock,  with  a  specimen  of  a  mineral,  which,  according 
to  those  from  whom  it  had  been  received,  was  stated  to  contain  molyb- 
