AmFJebU,r'i8>7^rm '}  Gleanings  from  the  Foreign  Journals.  71 
Bitter  Almonds. — The  physiological  investigations  of  Portes  lead 
to  the  following  results:  1.  The  developing  bitter  almonds  contain 
amygdalin.  2.  Their  composition  always  differs  from  that  of  sweet 
almonds.  3.  The  embryo  contains  the  emulsin.  4.  The  amygdalin, 
whose  origin  is  still  unknown,  appears  first  in  the  integuments  of  the 
seeds  ;  and  5,  passes  gradually  through  the  radicle  into  the  cotyledons. 
—  Compt.  Rend.,  lxxxv,  81. 
The  Volatile  Acids  of  Croton  Oil. — Besides  stearic,  palmitic, 
lauric  and  myristic  acids,  Schlippe  had  proven  the  presence  of  oleic, 
crotonic  and  angelicic  acids,  and  Geuther  and  Frbhlich  had  observed 
in  the  mother-liquor  of  croton  oil  soap  the  presence  of  acetic,  butyric, 
valerianic  and  tiglinic  acids,  regarding  the  latter  as  being  probably  iden- 
tical with  the  methylcrotonic  acid  of  Frankland  and  Duppa.  This 
identity  has  now  been  proven  by  E.  Schmidt  and  J.  Berendes. — Phar. 
Cent.  Halle,  1877,  No.  38. 
Copper  in  Olive  Oil.— To  detect  copper  in  artificially  colored 
olive  oil,  C.  Cailletet  advises  to  agitate  10  cc.  of  the  oil  with  a  solu- 
tion of  0"i  pyrogallic  acid  in  5  cc.  of  ether.  The  presence  of  copper 
is  indicated  by  a  brown  coloration. — Ibid.,  No.  46. 
Calomel  in  Corrosive  Sublimate. — Mich.  Schlesinger  has  re- 
peatedly observed  that  commercial  corrosive  sublimate  would  not  com- 
pletely dissolve  in  water,  but  left  a  residue  of  calomel,  which  in  one 
case  amounted  to  '54  per  cent. — Phar.  Cent.  Halle,  1877,  No.  43. 
[We  have  not  unfrequently  met  with  the  same  impurity  in  the  cor- 
rosive sublimate  of  our  commerce. — Editor.] 
Solid  Sulphuric  Acid.— The  chemical  works  of  Stark,  in  Bohemia, 
have  brought  into  the  market  the  anhydrid  of  sulphuric  acid,  which  is 
put  up  in  soldered  boxes  of  tinned  sheet-iron.  At  the  ordinary  temper- 
ature, and  when  moisture  is  totally  excluded,  anhydrous  sulphuric  acid 
does  not  act  upon  metals,  and,  more  particularly,  upon  zinc.  In  this 
condition  the  acid  is  particularly  useful  for  the  preparation  of  alizarin. 
— Ibid.,  No.  45. 
Arsenical  Capping  Paper.— J.  B.  Barnes  directs  attention  to  a 
magenta  colored  capping  paper,  which  contains  notable  quantities  of 
arsenic,  and  the  color  of  which  has  evidently  been  prepared  by  oxidiz- 
