Am.  Jour.  Pharm. ) 
Jan.,  1S78.  J 
Varieties. 
37 
of  silver  nitrite  in  sulphuric  acid  showed  that  in  this  case  not  only  was  nitric  acid 
formed,  but  that  nitrogen  escapes  as  dioxide.  It  should  be  stated,  however,  that 
Kolbe  found  nitric  acid  in  nitrose,  although  the  nitrous  acid  determinations  were 
made  by  adding  the  solution  to  the  permanganate. — Jour.  Chem.  Soc.  [Lond.],  Nov., 
1877,  from  Deut.  Chem.  Ges.  Ber.,  x,  1873 — 1076. 
Determination  of  Nitrous  Acid  in  Potable  Waters.  By  R.  Hercher. — Schon- 
bein's  test  for  nitrous  acid  is  condemned  as  of  little  value. 
Separation  of  iodine  from  an  iodide — zinc  iodide  is  the  best — is  recommended  as 
a  good  test.  The  test  depending  upon  oxidation  of  ferrous  sulphate  serves  to  detect 
0*00025  mgm.  nitrous  acid  in  100  cc.  of  water. 
The  amido  benzoic  acid  test  is  much  less  delicate  than  the  preceding. 
Of  the  quantitative  tests  for  nitrous  acid,  the  permanganate  is  the  best,  but  even 
this  is  not  very  satisfactory. — Jour.  Chem.  Soc.  [Lond.],  Nov.,  1877,  from  Arch. 
Pharm  [3],  x,  436—439. 
Action  of  Tartaric  Acid  on  Calcium  Carbonate.  By  B.  J.  Grosjean. — Both 
precipitated  carbonate  and  whiting  were  digested  in  20  parts  of  boiling  water  con- 
taining 4  pts.  of  tartaric  acid.  Neither  carbonate  was  dissolved,  even  when  the  acid 
was  doubled  and  concentrated  to  a  syrup.  But  addition  of  water  caused  solu- 
tion even  in  the  cold.  Thus  a  weak  solution  of  tartaric  acid  acts  better  than  a 
strong  solution  of  the  same  weight  of  acid  on  calcium  carbonate.  If,  however,  the 
carbonate  is  treated  with  20  parts  of  water  saturated  with  tartaric  acid,  solution  is 
brought  about  by  heating,  even  without  dilution. — Jour.  Chem.  Soc,  Nov.,  from 
Chem,  Ne<ws,  xxxv,  190. 
Adulteration  of  Santonin  with  Boracic  Acid. — The  Lyon  Medical  says  that  the 
high  price  of  santonin  has  led  to  its  adulteration  with  boracic  acid,  and  that  nearly 
25  per  cent,  of  the  acid  has  been  found  in  some  parcels.  The  crystals  of  the  two 
bear  some  resemblance,  but  it  is  easy  to  detect  the  fraud  by  exposing  the  article  to 
the  light  for  several  days,  when  the  crystals  of  santonin  will  become  yellow  from 
the  formation  of  photo-santonic  acid,  whilst  the  other  crystals  will  remain  unchanged* 
Further,  pure  santonin  burns  without  residuum.  If  the  mixture  be  calcined  and  the 
product  treated  with  boiling  water,  boracic  acid  crystals  will  be  deposited  on  cool- 
ing. Chloroform  will  dissolve  santonin,  but  not  boracic  acid  — Pacif.  Med.  and 
Surg.  Jour.,  November. 
On  the  Antagonism  between  Nicotin  and  Strychnia.— Dr.  Francis  L.  Haynes, 
Assistant  Surgeon  to  the  Episcopal  Hospital,  Philadelphia,  from  a  number  of  experi- 
ments detailed  in  a  monograph  published  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  American  Phil- 
osophical Society,  January  to  May,  1877,  draws  the  following  inferences: 
