214  EXTRACTS  FROM  FOREIGN  JOURNALS. 
times,  at  intervals  of  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  The  only  precau- 
tion recommended  is  to  shake  the  vial  each  time  it  is  used. — 
Bull.  Therap.  et  Jour,  de  Chim.  Med. 
Mercurialia.  According  to  M.  Reichardt,  when  the  leaves 
or  seed  of  Mercurialis  annua  are  submitted  to  distillation,  with 
an  excess  of  quick  lime,  a  volatile  alkaloid,  having  a  disagreeable 
odor,  is  disengaged.  The  vapors  are  collected  in  a  receiver 
containing  diluted  sulphuric  acid  and  the  liquid  evaporated  on 
a  water-bath,  by  which  a  residue  is  obtained,  consisting  of  sul- 
phate of  ammonia,  brown,  resinous,  matter,  and  a  salt  of  an  al- 
kaloid base,  which  the  author  has  named  mercurialin. 
The  whole  residue  is  extracted  with  absolute  alcohol,  which 
dissolves  only  the  new  sulphate,  after  driving  off  the  alcohol  the 
sulphate  is  distilled  with  caustic  potassa  ;  the  product  is  am- 
moniacal,  which  is  rectified  in  a  current  of  hydrogen  on  a  chlo- 
ride of  calcium  bath,  when  the  new  alkaloid  is  obtained  in  the 
state  of  an  oily  liquid  which  is  deprived  of  adherent  ammonia 
by  the  vacuum. 
This  alkaloid  is  very  poisonous ;  it  has  not  been  analysed. 
Its  characters  are  as  follows :  an  oily  liquid  of  a  disagreeable 
odor  and  an  alkaloid  reaction,  transformed  by  the  action  of  the 
air  into  a  resin  of  butyraceous  consistence.  Its  boiling  point 
is  284°  F.  It  absorbs  carbonic  acid  and  yields  a  carbonate  very 
soluble  in  alcohol. 
The  chloride  is  also  soluble  in  alcohol ;  the  bichloride  of  pla- 
tina  precipitates  it,  only  after  a  time,  in  the  presence  of  strong 
alcohol  and  in  nacreous  crystals.  The  oxalate  is  very  soluble  in 
water  and  much  less  so  in  alcohol. 
Mercurialia  is  very  hygroscopic,  and  by  becoming  hydrated 
loses  some  of  its  disagreeable  odor  Jour,  de  Chim.  Medicate. 
Aniline  in  Varnishes.  When  an  alcoholic  solution  of  aniline 
is  evaporated  upon  a  glass  plate,  there  remains  a  thin  transpa- 
rent coating  of  aniline,  which,  by  reflected  light,  appears  as  a 
metallic  green  iridescence,  but  by  transmitted  light  of  a  blue  or 
violet  color,  according  to  the  shade  of  aniline  used.  As  ani- 
line is  soluble  also  in  spirit  varnishes,  it  is  proposed  to  prepare 
suc^  a  blue  transparent  varnish  for  coating  bottles,  used  for  the 
preparation  of  substances  easily  affected  by  light. — M$  Jahrh. 
Ph.  xx.  44. 
