14  Fracticdf  Xoic^fj-oin  Forc'ujn  Journdls.     { •^"Va^'^S-*'""- " 
brown,  and  one  hundred  parts  of  thi.s  wei'e  found  to  contain  of  cliloro- 
pliyll,  wax,  resin,  volatile  oil  and  volatile  acid, '45  ])art. ;  glucose, 
3*20;  saccharose,  11'20;  undetermined  organic  acid,  2*60;  gum,  4'4(); 
albumenoids  and  pectin  comj)ounds,  'iSU  ;  ash,  1*8G,  and  water,  75*4() 
parts. 
The  resin  is  soluble  in  ether  and  very  acrid,  but  is  present  oidy  in 
minute  quantity,  like  the  volatile  oil.  The  volatile  acid  has  an  agree- 
able odor,  resembling  that  of  butyric  aeid. — Jour,  de  Phar.  et  de 
Chhii.,  Sept.,  1881,  232-234. 
Adidte rated  So fron. —  K.  Johanson  has  met  with  a  saffron  which 
was  largely  adulterated  \vitli  calcium  carbonate  tinged  ^vith  a  red  i)ig- 
ment,  Avhich  w^as  not  bleached  by  exposure  to  sunlight  for  two  days. 
The  powder  also  contained  ghicose,  probably  honey.  Pure  saffron 
yields  8  per  cent,  of  ash;  the  adulterated  sample  gave  39*15  ])er  cent. 
— Reprint  from  Ph.  Zeitschr.f.  PiissL 
This  adulteration  has  been  observed  since  about  1870. 
PRACTICAL  NOTES  FROM  FOREIGN  JOURNALS. 
By  the  Editor. 
Comparison  of  Poisonous  Effects  of  Metallic  Chlorides, — The  ex])er- 
iments  were  made  Avith  small  fishes  Aveighing  10  grams.  Death  is 
produced  more  rapidly  in  more  concentrated  solutions;  the  limit  of  poi- 
sonous effect  Avas  assumed  in  a  solution  of  the  chloride  of  such  strength 
in  1  liter  of  \A'ater  permitting  the  fishes  to  live  in  the  liquid  for  48 
hours.  Ch.  l^ichet  found  the  nitrates  more  poisonous ;  the  sulphates 
are  in  many  cases  too  sparingly  soluble.  The  following  values  Avere 
ascertained  : 
Exiwrinieiits. 
Metai; 
Limits. 
ExiH'iiments. 
Metal. 
Liniita. 
20 
Mercury, 
0-00020 
1) 
Cobalt, 
0-12o 
7 
Copper, 
0*0033 
11 
Lithium, 
0-3 
20 
Zinc, 
0-0084 
20 
Man<»anium, 
0-3 
10 
Iron, 
0-014 
(> 
Barium, 
0-78 
7 
Cadmium, 
0-017 
4 
Magnesium, 
1-5 
6 
Ammonium, 
0-064 
20 
iStrontium, 
2-2 
7 
Potassium, 
O'lO 
5 
Calcium, 
,  2-4 
10 
Nickel, 
0-125 
6 
Sodium, 
2417 
—  Chemiker  Zeitam/  ;  Comp.  Rend.,  xciii,  640. 
Preservation  of  Ferrous  Sulphate. — E.  Johanson  has  examined  a 
number  of  samples  of  ferrous  sulphate  prepared  in  18(i()  and  1867, 
and  observed  that  those  Avhich  had  been  kept  in  vessels  merely  tied 
