AmAJprii? x87trm*}  Gleanings  from  the  Foreign  Journals.  1 83 
water,  in  alcohol,  ether  and  methylic  alcohol.  Its  composition  is 
CuH505ZnO+3aq,  and  it  contains  23*95  per  cent,  zinc  oxide.  It  has 
been  employed  as  an  antiseptic  astringent  in  the  blennorrhagia,  puru- 
lent ophthalmia,  etc.,  the  solution  containing  0*5  to  4  grms.  of  the  salt 
to  100  grms.  of  distilled  water. — your,  de  Phar.  et  de  Chim.,  Jan.,  1878, 
p.  41. 
The  transformation  of  glycerin  into  glucose  has  been  reported 
by  C.  Kosmann,  and  was  asserted  to  have  been  accomplished  by  four 
processes,  in  all  of  which  the  reduction  of  Fehling's  solution  was 
regarded  as  sufficient  proof  of  the  presence  of  glucose.  L.  Lieber- 
mann  has  repeated  the  experiments  and  found  the  reducing  action  due 
in  two  cases  to  the  presence  of  ferrous  oxide,  caused  by  the  oxidation 
of  iron  (on  digesting  lard  or  glycerin  with  sheet  iron),  or  of  mangan- 
ous  salt  (resulting  by  treating  aqueous  glycerin  with  permanganate  of 
potassium  in  the  cold),  or  of  chromic  hydrate  remaining  dissolved  in  the 
glycerin  ;  the  latter  was  obtained  by  the  action  of  solution  of  potas- 
sium bichromate  and  sulphuric  acid  upon  glycerin,  and,  subsequent, 
neutralization  with  sodium  carbonate.  Liebermann  recommends 
caution  in  testing  urine  for  glucose,  since  iron  preparations  are  fre- 
quently used  in  medicine. 
Redtenbacher  has  previously  observed  that  glycerin,  in  contact  with 
yeast,  evolves  a  gas,  producing  at  the  same  time  metacetic  acid  without 
undergoing  alcoholic  fermentation. — Ber.  d.  deutscb.  Cbem.  Ges.,  1877, 
p.  2095. 
Atropia  and  Daturia. — A.  Poehl  has  investigated  the  cause  of  the 
well-known  and  generally  acknowledged  difference  in  the  medicinal 
activity  of  commercial  atropia  and  its  salts,  which  Hager  has  been 
inclined  to  attribute  to  the  presence  of  another  alkaloid,  probably  bella- 
donnia.  The  supposed  chemical  identity  of  atropia  and  daturia,  asserted 
by  Planta,  has  led  to  the  practice  of  preparing  atropia  not  only  from 
the  root  and  leaves  of  belladonna,  but,  likewise,  from  the  leaves  and 
seeds  of  stramonium.  Poehl  has  recently  again  examined  the  two 
alkaloids  prepared  by  himself  and  found  the  following  differences  : 
Atropia  is  optically  inactive,  but  daturia  turns  polarized  light  to  the 
•  left,  its  specific  rotating  power  being — 14*  120.     Atropia  salts  are  preci- 
pitated by  platiiiic  chloride,  but  daturia  salts  are  not  affected  by  the 
same  reagent.     Atropia  salts  are  not  precipitated  by  picric  acid,  which, 
however,  precipitates  daturia  salts.     The  two  alkaloids  are  therefore 
