a 5 4  Gleanings  from  the  Foreign  Journals.  {*m£y%w*Tm' 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  FOREIGN  JOURNALS. 
By  the  Editor. 
The  Free  Acids  of  the  Gastric  Juice. — By  repeated  treatment  of  gastric  juice 
with  ether,  Ch.  Richet  has  separated  an  acid  which  was  recognized  as  identical  with 
sarcolactic  acid,  prepared  from  horse-flesh  ;  its  zinc  salt  resembles  the  corresponding 
salt  with  the  ordinary  lactic  acid  (obtained  by  fermentation),  but  the  calcium  salts 
of  the  two  acids  differ  in  cyrstalline  form  ;  however,  the  sarcolactate,  when  kept 
for  some  time,  assumes  the  aspect  of  the  ordinary  lactate  of  calcium,  probably  by  a 
change  in  hydration.  The  ether  also  took  up  small  quantities  of  fatty  acid  j  the 
nature  of  the  acid  insoluble  in  ether  will  be  investigated  by  the  author. — Jour.de 
Phar.  et  de  Cbim.,  Feb.,  1878,  p.  109. 
Iodide  of  starch,  according  to  Bondonneau,  is  always  a  definite  compound, 
having  the  formula  (C12H10O10)5I  (0=8).  To  obtain  it  pure,  soluble  starch  is 
prepared  by  acting  with  caustic  soda  upon  starch  diffused  in  15  to  20  times  its  weight 
of  water;  after  slightly  acidulating  the  solution,  a  solution  of  iodine  is  added  in 
slight  excess  and  the  precipitate  well  washed  with  water,  acidulated  with  HC1,  and 
dried  at  the  ordinary  temperature. 
It  is  in  hard  pieces,  of  a  violet-black  color  and  coppery  lustre  It  swells  in  water, 
and  when  diffused  in  it  appears  blue.  At  ioo°C.  it  loses  16  to  18  per  cent. 
(H20  and  HI),  becomes  carbonized  and  is  not  decolorized  by  sulphite  of  sodium  ; 
the  loss  is  increased  to  46  per  cent,  by  heating  to  i9o°C.  (374^.),  and  the  black 
residue  then  contains  2  to  3  per  cent,  of  iodine.  When  heated  with  water,  in  a 
sealed  tube,  it  is  gradually,  almost  completely  converted  into  glucose  and  hydriodic 
acid.  A  similar  conversion,  including  dextrin  and  an  iodated  organic  compound, 
is  produced  by  diastase  and  by  saliva.  The  iodine  is  dissolved  by  alcohol,  but  not 
by  potassium  iodide,  benzin,  sulphide  of  carbon  or  other  solvents.  Iodide  of  starch 
contains  13  per  cent,  of  iodine,  a  portion  of  which  is  slowly  eliminated  by  drying 
over  sulphuric  acid  — Ibid.,  p.  121. 
Oil  of  tansy  consists,  according  to  Bruylants,  of  a  small  quantity,  (about  1  per 
cent  )  of  hydrocarbon  C10H16,  four-fifths  of  an  aldehyd,  tanacetyl  hydrid,  C10H16O  and 
of  an  alcohol  C10H18O.  The  aldehyd  is  best  separated  by  sodium  bisulphite  Two 
resins  were  also  found,  one  of  which  had  the  behavior  of  an  acid. — Jour,  de  Phar. 
et  de  Chim.,  Nov.,  1877,  p.  393. 
Proximate  Principles  of  Lobelia  Inflata. — Wm.  H.  D.  Lewis  obtained  the 
alkaloid  in  a  pure  state  by  exhausting  the  herb  with  very  dilute  acetic  acid,  concen- 
trating the  infusion,  treating  with  magnesia  and  agitating  with  amylic  alcohol,  on 
the  spontaneous  evaporation  of  which  lobelina  remains  behind.  It  may  be  further 
purified  by  dissolving  in  water,  passing  through  animal  charcoal,  which  retains  it, 
and  dissolving  it  by  ether  or  amylic  alcohol.  It  is  light-yellow,  of  the  consistence 
of  honey,  has  a  somewhat  aromatic  odor  and  a  sharp  acrid  taste,  and  is  soluble  in 
all  simple  solvents,  sparingly  in  petroleum  naphtha.  It  is  decomposed  by  caustic 
alkalies  and  cannot  be  distilled.  Exposed  to  the  air,  it  slowly  resinifies.  H2S04 
colors  it  red-brown,  the  color  being  intensified  by  potassium  bichromate.  Fronde's 
