138 
ESSENTIAL  OIL  OF  VALERIAN. 
Cinchofiia:  l-1000th  bluish-white  floccules;  l-5000th  very 
faint  turbidity. 
Veratria  :  l-1000th  dirty- white  floccules ;  l-5000th  opalescent 
turbid. 
Narcotina :  l-1000th  considerable  yellowish- white  flocculent 
precipitate;  l-5000th  strong  turbidity;  l-25000th  slightly 
turbid. 
Morphia  :  no  reaction  in  solution  of  1000  parts  of  water. 
Codeina :  l-1000th  strongly  turbid,  dirty  white. 
Nicotina  :  l-250th  slightly  turbid. 
Piperina :  yellow  precipitate,  even  when  pretty  largely 
diluted. 
Atropia :  l-1000th  white  precipitate,  which,  when  heated,  at 
first  dissolves  in  the  liquid,  but  separates  and  increases  on  con- 
tinued boiling,  and  is  then  insoluble  in  much  water ;  l-5000th 
slight  turbidity,  increasing  by  continued  boiling. 
Aconitia:  l-1000th  white  precipitate;  l-5000th  strong  tur- 
bidity; l-25000th  slight  opalescence. 
Caffeina  :  l-000th  no  reaction. 
Theobromina :  l-1000th  slightly  turbid. 
Digitalin :  l-1000th  turbidity,  disappearing  on  boiling,  but 
reappearing  on  continuing  the  heat,  when  a  considerable  pre- 
cipitate is  thrown  down. 
It  appears  that  for  most  alkaloids  Sonnenschein's  phosphor 
molybdic  acid  is  a  more  delicate  test ;  but  it  is  surpassed  in  some 
instances,  like  atropia,  &c,  by  Schulze's  new  reagent. — Ann. 
d.  Chem.  and  Pharm.  cix.  177.  Buchners  N.  Repert.,  1859, 
421-423.  j.  m.  m. 
CHEMICAL  RESEARCHES  ON  THE  ESSENTIAL  OIL  OF 
VALERIAN. 
By  M.  Pierlot,  Pharmacien.* 
In  a  note  presented  to  the  Academy  of  Sciences,  the  author 
*  Pharmaceutists  long  ago  found  out  an  easier  and  cheaper  way  of 
making  valerianic  acid  than  distilling  it  from  the  root ;  hut  the  other  pro- 
ducts have  an  interest,  especially  as  one  has  been  recommended  for  ad- 
mission to  our  already  encumbered  Materia  Medica. — Ed.  Chem.  News. 
i 
