Am.  lour.  PJiarm  ) 
Jan.,  188-J.  / 
Gleanings  in  3Iateria  Medica, 
9 
deiium,  it  was  considered  of  some  interest  to  verify  the  correctness  of 
the  statement  by  an  analysis.  This  was  more  particularly  the  case  as 
the  presence  of  molybdenum  in  the  mineral  was  at  the  first  contra- 
indicated  by  its  general  physical  characters  and  relatively  low  specific 
gravity.  The  mineral  in  question  is  a  product  of  the  State  of  Georgia, 
and  had  been  sent  to  this  city  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  bids  for  the 
same.  li:  is  of  a  light  grayish-brown  color,  quite  uniform  in  structure, 
and  may  be  readily  reduced  to  powder ;  when  examined  under  a  lens 
of  low  magnifying  ])ower,  it  is  seen  to  consist  principally  of  quartz 
crystals,  interspersed  with  mechanical  admixtures  of  metallic  sulphides, 
which,  when  isolated,  were  found  to  be  principally  that  of  iron.  A 
qualitative  analysis  confirmed  the  presence  of  a  large  amount  of  silica 
and  iron,  the  latter  in  the  form  of  sulphide  and  oxide,  traces  of  tin, 
copper  and  aluminium,  with  relatively  small  amounts  of  magnesium, 
sodium  and  sulphur,  but  with  no  indication  of  the  presence  of  molyb- 
denum. In  this  connection  the  principal  minerals  containing  molyb- 
denum as  an  integral  and  important  constituent  may  be  here  briefly 
enumerated :  Molybdenite  or  molybdenum  disulphide,  M0S2,  occurring 
in  the  United  States  in  Connecticut  and  California ;  WaJfenite  or  lead 
raolybdate,  PbMoO^.  and  more  rarely  molyhdic  ochre,  or  molyb- 
denum trioxide,  M0O3,  and  Pateraite,  or  cobalt  molybdate,  CoMoO^, 
but  traces  of  the  metal  are  frequently  contained  in  iron  ores,  and 
consequently  also  found  in  pig-iron  and  iron  slag.  The  mineral  exam- 
ined would  therefore  seem,  with  reference  to  the  constituents  of  the 
portion  analyzed,  to  possess  but  little  or  no  commercial  value,  and  was 
not  considered  of  sufficient  importance  or  interest  to  extend  its  exam- 
ination to  a  quantitative  determination  of  its  components. 
GLEANINGS  IN  MATERIA  MEDICA. 
By  the  Editor. 
TJie  Seeds  of  Niyelht  savita. — H.  Greenish  observed  that  the  fluor- 
escent princijde  contained  in  the  seeds  is  soluble  in  petroleum  benzin, 
and  that  the  seeds  cidtivated  near  Moscow  contain  a  smaller  pro})or- 
tion  of  this  principle  than  those  grown  in  Germany.  Petroleum 
benzin  dissolves  from  the  seeds  volatile  oil,  the  fluoi-escent  body  and 
35  per  cent,  of  fat,  consisting  mainly  of  myristiu  and  stearin,  with  a 
little  palmitin.  On  treatment  with  water,  mucilage  and  albumen  was 
dissolve<J,  together  with  a  dark  yellovvish-l)r()\vu  princi[>le,  sokd)le  hi 
