^""Marissr""'}  Gleanings  in  Materia  Medica.  133 
Comparing  the  results  obtained  with  oil  of  ranunculus,  anemonin 
•and  cardol,  the  following  may  be  deduced  : 
1.  The  three  bodies  may  be  isolated  by  extraction  with  glacial  acetic 
acid  and  agitating  with  benzol. 
2.  Although  cantharidin  may  be  isolated  in  the  same  manner,  it 
'Cannot  be  confounded  with  the  former  three  bodies,  since  it  may  like- 
wise be  obtained  by  means  of  caustic  potassa,  which  decomposes  the 
other  three*  bodies. 
3.  Oil  of  ranunculus  and  cardol  are  powerful  and  sure  vesicants, 
while  the  vesicating  action  of  anemonin  is  uncertain. 
4.  Anemonin  taken  internally  acts  as  a  narcotic,  the  other  two  as 
acrid  narcotics ;  the  narcotic  action  is  directed  upon  brain  and  spine. 
The  corrosive  action  of  oil  of  ranunculus  takes  place  in  the  stomach, 
but  that  of  cardol  in  the  lower  part  of  the  small  and  in  the  large 
intestines. 
The  author  has  also  examined  the  tincture  and  herb  of  arnica  for 
the  presence  of  a  vesicating  principle,  which  Wilms  (1873)  stated  to 
exist  therein ;  but  he  was  unable  to  obtain  such  a  principle,-  and  his 
results  were  verified  by  experiments  performed  by  Kessler. 
GLEANINGS  IN  MATERIA  MEDICA. 
By  the  Editor. 
Digitalis  Leaves. — Some  authorities  require  an  infusion  of  digitalis 
in  the  proportion  of  1:100  to  yield  at  once  a  strong  turbidity  with  tan- 
nin, and  after  15  minutes  a  turbidity  wdth  ferridcyanide  of  potas- 
sium. However  collected  in  mountainous  regions  during  the  flowering 
period  the  leaves  gave  only  slight  reactions,  but  responded  promptly  to 
those  reagents  in  infusions  of  the  strength  1:10. — Pharm.  Ztg.,  1881, 
No.  99;  Ph.  Tidskr.,  Nov.  21. 
Adulteration  of  Saffron. — C.  Bernbeck  reports  having  met  with  saf- 
fron adulterated  with  carthamus,  and  in  another  case  an  adulteration 
with  the  petals  of  red  poppy  which  had  evidently  been  cut  into 
pieces  of  a  uniform  shape  by  means  of  a  special  apparatus ;  the  infusion 
turned  gray-green  with  ammonia,  and  became  of  a  brighter  red  with 
nitric  acid.  The  behavior  in  the  spectroscope  was  the  more  charac- 
teristic, the  left  side  of  the  .scale  being  completely  extinguished  with 
gradual  dimunition  to  D,  red  and  orange  being  but  slightly  absorbed. — 
Pharm.  Ztg.,  1881,  No.  98. 
