172 
MISCELLANY. 
contains a large quantity of the ether which cannot be driven off, the heat 
not penetrating with sufficient power to this part. It is in this state that 
we find the tannin in commerce. But to render it white and light through- 
out the whole mass, it is proper to cover the whole basin with a plate of 
copper, on which some red hot coals are to be placed ; then the same phe- 
nomenon, indicated above, will be perceived to take place, namely, the 
part remaining colored and transparent will increase in bulk, and become 
changed into very light white scales, as had happened in the portion 
touching the basin itself. 
Ann. de Chim. et de Phys, 
New Product, — A. Woulens, near Amiens, possesses a large cotton 
spinning establishment, which is lighted by means of oil gas. This gas 
on escaping from the iron cylinder filled with red hot coals, in which it is 
formed, traverses a reservoir of oil, in which it deposits a white liquid 
matter, which can be drawn off by a stopcock at the lower part of the re- 
servoir. The workmen charged with its care having spread this matter 
on the water on the ground, it inflamed spontaneously, and running into 
a neighboring rivulet it spread upon the surface^ of the water, so that the 
whole appeared on fire. The proprietor of the establishment intends to 
send a flask filled with this singular substance to M. Gay Lussac for che- 
mical analysis. 
Joum. de Chim. Med, 
New Active Principle. By MM. Vandamme and Chevallier. — There 
exists in the seeds of the ivy an alkaline matter, to which M. Chevallier, 
pharmaceutist at Amiens, and myself, have proposed during the past year 
to give the name of hederine. This substance is a very strong bitter, and 
appears to have a strong affinity with quinia in febrifuge properties, be- 
sides being an indigenous product like salicine. 
Hederine is found in the seed of the hedora helix, and appears to exist 
as a super malate, The mode of separation is the same as that of the 
other vegetable alkalies, that is to say, treating with boiling alcohol, the 
hederine precipitated by hydrate of lime, and afterwards evaporating the 
liquor, — Ibid. 
Use of Chloride of Lime in the Treatment of the Itch. — We have found 
in foreign journals, under the title of" New treatment of the Itch," by M. 
Raffael Napoli, the following article : 
R. Chloride of lime, 1 pound. 
Water, 3 or 4 pounds. 
Mix and digest for two hours, and then filter through linen. 
