GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  FRENCH  JOURNALS. 
419 
plant,  which  have  been  inadvertently  collected  with  the  stig- 
mata, the  color  of  which  is  yellow  and  easily  distinguishable. 
They  are  evidently  collected  intentionally,  dyed  artificially  and 
twisted  so  as  to  deceive  the  eye,  and  in  quantity  equal  to  nearly 
a  half  of  the  article.  The  adulteration  is  recognized  by  throw- 
ing a  certain  quantity  in  a  glass  of  water.  The  stamens  are 
instantly  decolorized  and  float,  whilst  the  true  stigmata  fall  to 
the  bottom  of  the  water.  On  comparison  with  the  figures  of 
Hayne,  these  stamens  belong  to  the  Crocus  vernus,  by  the  cylin- 
drical form  of  their  anthers,  rounded  at  the  summit  whilst  the 
anthers  of  Crocus  sativus  are  terminated  like  an  arrow.  Finally, 
this  saffron  contains  also  little  marigold  petals,  colored  red  like 
the  stamens  ;  these  sink  in  water  with  the  stigmas  of  the  saffron 
and  are  recognized  by  their  base,  their  longitudinal  nervures 
and  three  pointed  terminations.  I  do  not  know  what  opinion 
to  give  of  a  merchant  who  thus  falsifies  saffron ;  the  man  who 
takes  your  purse  from  your  pocket  is  not  more  culpable. — Jour, 
de  Pharm.,  Juin,  1864. 
On  the  Double  Carbonate  of  Potassa.  and  Soda.  By  M. 
Fehling. — This  double  salt  presents  itself  in  rhomboidal  efflo- 
rescent prisms.  It  was  formed  accidentally  in  making  yellow 
cyanide  of  potassium,  and  on  another  occasion  during  the  pre- 
paration of  saltpetre  from  nitrate  of  soda  and  potash  of  com- 
merce. Its  formula  is  NaO,  C02  +  KO,  C02  +  12  HO.  It  is 
very  soluble  in  water  and  does  not  reassume  its  crystalline 
form  on  evaporation.  It  melts  in  its  water  of  crystallization, 
which  it  loses  nearly  entirely  at  212^  F.  Dried,  it  is  not  hy- 
grometric  except  in  very  moist  oXv.-^J&ur.  de  Pharm.  from 
Annal.  der  Chem. 
On  a  means  of  detecting  Nitro-benzole  in  Oil  of  Bitter 
Almonds.  By  M.  Dragendorff. — This  test  consists  in  acting 
on  the  adulterated  oil  with  sodium  in  the  presence  of  alcohol. 
This  metal,  in  contact  with  pure  oil  of  bitter  almonds,  disen- 
gages gas,  which  is  augmented  by  the  addition  of  alcohol,  and 
white  flocks,  are  formed.  Nitro-benzole  under  the  same  circum- 
stances with  alcohol  becomes  deep  brown  or  black  and  viscid. 
In  testing  the  adulterated  oil,  take  ten  or  fifteen  drops  of  it, 
add  four  or  five  drops  of  alcohol,  and  a  fragment  of  sodium ;  a 
