Am'  /u0i^i&7arm"}        Gleanings  in  Materia  Medica.  345 
pho-molybdic  acid  gave  precipitates  in  solutions  1 :  1=00.000.  Char- 
acteristic color  reactions  were  not  observed. 
Resorcin  and  Pyrocatechin  in  the  animal  economy. — From  the  ex- 
periments of  Dr.  Joseph  Schomacker  (Thesis,  Dorpat,  1886),  the  fol- 
lowing conclusions  may  be  summarized.  Both  substances  given  per 
os  or  subcutaneously  in  even  relatively  small  doses,  may  be  detected 
by  Dragendorfr's  method  in  the  urine  and  in  the  different  organs. 
They  appear  in  the  urine  as  sulpho-acids  which  on  boiling  with  HC1 
or  H2S04  are  decomposed  liberating  resorcin  or  pyrocatechin  ;  after 
taking  it  in  large  doses,  the  former  is  found  in  the  urine  also  in  the 
free  state.  The  excretion  with  the  urine  is  completed  in  about  seven 
hours  for  resorcin,  and  in  about  five  hours  for  pyrocatechin  ;  neither 
of  the  two  compounds  has  been  found  in  the  feces.  Both  are 
best  isolated  by  means  of  acetic  ether,  and  the  most  characteristic 
reagents  are  chlorinated  lime  for  resorcin,  and  ferric  chloride  for 
pyrocatechin. 
The  reactions  and  their  limits  were  ascertained  as  follows : 
Resorcin :  '001  gm.  with  ferric  chloride  fine  violet  color,  not  observ- 
able with  "0005  gm.  Diluted  solution  of  chlorinated  lime  gives  with 
'00005  gm.  a  faint  reaction,  and  with  "0001  gm.  a  distinct  violet  color, 
gradually  becoming  yellow  ;  on  the  careful  addition  of  the  reagent 
these  colors  may  be  repeatedly  observed,  and  it  is  therefore,  best  added 
drop  by  drop.  Froehde's  reagent  produces  after  some  time  a  violet 
color  with  '0005  gm.  Sulpho-vanadic  acid  (1  ammonium  vanadate  to 
100  sulphuric  monohydrate)  turns  blue  changing  to  violet ;  this  change 
is  not  very  plain  with  '00005  gm. 
Pyrocatechin.  '0001  gm.  with  ferric  chloride  becomes  green,  and 
then  on  the  addition  of  ammonia,  cherry  red,  blue  and  violet.  Chlori- 
nated lime  turns  blue-green.  Froehde's  reagent  with  '00005  gm 
a  green  color,  and  with  '005  gm.  a  blue-green  color  mixed  with 
violet  and  blue  streaks.  Sulphovanadic  acid  with  "0001  gm.  a 
blue-green  color  ;  or  in  the  presence  of  sulphuric  bihydrate  a  green 
color. 
Valeriana  Hardwickii,  Wallich. — An  analysis  has  been  made  of 
the  rhizome  of  this  East  Indian  plant,  by  J.  Lindenberg  (Dorpat 
Pamphl. — Phar.  Zeits.  Russl.  1886),  and  compared  with  one  of  Yal. 
officinalis,  Lin.  The  direct  determination  of  valerianic  acid,  total  al- 
buminoids, and  total  water  soluble  substances  gave  for  the  former  1'37, 
11*06  and  28'59  per  cent,  respectively,  and  for  the  officinal  drug  121, 
