Am  Jour  Pharm. )      Practical  Notes  fvom  Various  Sources.  371 
July,  1882.      \  'J 
cause  for  the  presence  of  the  free  acid  ascertained. — Arch,  d.  Phar., 
1882,  April,  291  to  293. 
Copper  in  Grain  and  Flour. — J.  Van  den  Berghe  found  in  the  ash 
obtained  from  a  million  parts  of  grain  and  of  flour  from  8  to  11"1 
parts  of  copper,  and  the  same  amount  also  in  bread. —  Chem.  Zeitung, 
1882,  March  16,  p.  223,  from  Mondes,  Ivi,  209. 
PRACTICAL  XOTES  FROM  VARIOUS  SOURCES. 
By  the  Editor. 
Aluminium  palmitate  is  a  resin-like  compound  which  melts  at  a 
higher  temperature  than  dammar  and  copal,  and  is  readily  soluble  in 
oil  of  turpentine  and  benzol,  a  solution  in  5  parts  of  the  solvent  being 
still  thick  and  varnish-like.  K.  Lieber  states  that  it  makes  an  excel- 
lent varnish,  which  dries  readily,  remains  permanently  pliable  and  has 
a  handsome  silky  lustre,  which  is  increased  by  the  addition  of  copal 
and  dammar..  It  is  insoluble  in  water,  does  not  penetrate  through 
paper  and  seems  to  be  well  adapted  for  extensive  use  in  the  arts. — 
Zeits.  Oest.  Ap.  Ver.,  1882,  p.  38  ;  Dingl.  Polyt.  Jour.,  vol.  240,  p. 
243. 
Liquor  Aluminii  acetatis. — Prof.  Poleck  reports  the  following  pro- 
cess which  has  been  adopted  for  the  German  Pharmacopoeia  :  300  parts 
of  aluminium  sulphate  are  dissolved  in  800  parts  of  water  and  mixed 
with  360  parts  of  acetic  acid.  To  this  solution  is  gradually  added 
precipitated  calcium  carbonate  130  parts,  previously  triturated  with 
200  parts  of  water.  The  mixture  is  set  aside  for  a  day  and  occasion- 
ally stirred,  then  strained,  the  precipitate  |)ressed  and  the  liquor  filtered. 
The  filtrate  weighs  1277  parts,  has  the  density  1-0455  to  1*0457,  and 
contains  7*69  to  7*76  per  cent,  aluminium  acetate,  Al2(C2H302)4(OH)2, 
•23  to  '47  per  cent.  AI2O3  and  -33  per  cent.  CaSO^.  It  is  clear,  color- 
less, has  a  faint  acetic  odor,  and  after  the  addition  of  2  per  cent,  potas- 
sium sulphate,  when  heated  in  a  water-bath,  gelatinizes,  but  after  cool- 
ing slowly  becomes  limpid  and  clear  again. 
Dr.  Vulpius  recommends  the  use  of  very  capacious  and  shallow 
vessels  in  making  this  preparation.  The  precipitated  calcium  sulphate 
is  very  voluminous,  but  parts  with  the  enclosed  solution  readily  by  a 
gradually  increased  pressure. — Archiv  d.  Phar.,  April,  1882,  p.  257— 
269. 
Saccharated  soluble  Ferric  Oxide. — Dr.  Brunnengraeber  has  fur- 
