AmMJa°y,ri8>7h8arm'}  Gleanings  from  the  Foreign  Journals.  255 
reagent  has  the  same  behavior.  Continued  boiling  with  dilute  H2S04  liberates 
glucose  ;  dilute  potassa  has  the  same  result. 
Lobelic  acid  is  obtained  by  precipitating  the  decoction  with  sulphate  of  copper, 
decomposing  by  H2S,  evaporating  and  exhausting  with  hot  ether  ;  on  evaporation  a 
yellow  crystalline  mass  is  left,  which  is  purified  by  dissolving  in  cold  ether.  The 
acid  is  not  volatile  and  dissolves  in  ether,  alcohol  and  water,  the  aqueous  solution 
being  precipitated  green  by  copper  sulphate,  brown  by  ferric  chloride,  yellow  by 
lead  acetate,  dirty- white  by  mercuric  nitrate,  and  white,  becoming  red-brown,  by 
silver  nitrate.  The  lobelacrin  of  Enders  ("  Pharmacographia,""  p.  357)  is  regarded 
by  the  author  to  be  lobelate  of  lobelina. 
The  aqueous  distillate  of  the  plant  possesses  the  odor,  but  not  the  acrid  taste  of 
'lobelia.  Reinsch's  lobeliin  is  evidently  a  very  indefinite  compound,  and  possibly 
contains  traces  of  lobel  na. — Phar.  Jour,  and  Trans. ,  Jan.  19,  p.  561. 
Solubility  of  Sugar  in  Water. — H.  Courtonne  confirms  the  results,  previously 
obtained  by  Berthelot  and  Scheibler,  that  100  grms  of  water  dissolve  at  i2-5°C. 
(54'5°F.)  198*647,  and  at  45°C  (ii3°F.)  245  grms.  of  sugar.  A  solution,  there- 
fore, saturated  at  12  5°C.  contains  66  5,  and  when  saturated  at  45°C,  71  per  cent, 
of  sugar. — Compt.  Rend.,  lxxxv,  p  959. 
Ointment  of  thymol  has  been  used  by  Balmanno  Squire  for  ringworm;  it  was 
prepared  by  melting  thymol  3>  at  trie  temperature  of  a  water-bath  and  mixing  it 
with  lard  ^i.  When  of  this  strength,  the  ointment  did  not  produce  irritation  of  the 
skin  or  any  other  evil  effect. — Phar.  Jour,  and  Trans  ,  Feb.  2,  p.  602. 
Thymol  and  its  Pharmacy. — Thymol  is  produced  from  several  labiatas,  princi- 
pally from  Thymus  vulgaris,  Monarda  punctata  and  Ptychotis  ajowan.  It  is  in 
nearly  transparent  and  colorless  irregular  crystals,  sp.  gr  1028,  of  a  burning  and 
aromatic  taste.  It  fuses  at  about  44°C.  and  often  remains  liquid  for  several  days  or 
until  brought  in  contact  with  a  crystal.  It  is  freely  soluble  in  alcohol,  ether,  chlo- 
roform, benzol,  carbon  bisulphide,  oils  and  in  potassa  and  soda ;  it  dissolves  spar- 
ingly in  water,  glycerin  and  ammonia.  Ether,  shaken  with  the  alkaline  solutions, 
removes  the  thymol  entirely. 
A.  W.  Gerrard  found  that  the  strongest  aqueous  solution  of  thymol  available  is  1 
in  1,000.  4  grains  of  it  dissolved  in  a  fluidounce  of  rectified  spirit  will  yield  an 
alcoholic  solution  miscible  with  water  without  becoming  turbid.  1  grain  dissolved 
in  2  fluid  drachms  of  heated  glycerin  remains  clear  on  cooling,  the  solution  becom- 
ing turbid  on  the  addition  of  water  until  four  volumes  of  the  latter  have  been 
added,  when  it  is  clear  again.  1  grain  of  caustic  soda  dissolves  3  grains  of  thy- 
mol and  1  grain  of  potassa  25  grains  of  it ;  the  solutions  remain  clear  when  diluted 
with  water.  Fats  and  oils  are  excellent  solvents  of  thymol,  but  require  to  be  heated 
to  insure  perfect  solution.  Vaseline  is  not  an  eligible  basis  for  it,  the  thymol  crys- 
tallizing upon  the  surface  of  the  mixture. — Ibid.,  Feb.  16,  p  645. 
Commercial  Oil  of  Thyme.— A.  W.  Gerrard  attempted  to  prepare  thymol  from 
the  oil  by  agitating  it  with  soda  solution,  but  obtained  variable  quantities  of  an  oily 
liquid  differing  from  thymol.    When  placed  in  ice  the  oils  did  not  separate  any 
