Amj^,r*i8>7h8?rm'}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals,  339 
Oil  of  valerian  was  found  to  contain  a  terpene,  C10H16,  the  alcohol 
borneol,  C10H18O,  the  ether  of  the  same,  (C10H17)2O,  and  the  formic, 
acetic  and  valerianic  ethers  of  the  same,  the  latter  having  the  formula 
C10H17C5H9O2- 
The  seeds  of  Euphorbia  Lathyris,  Z/«.,  are  known  in  Europe  as 
semen  cataputiae  minoris.  O.  Zander  obtained  from  them  by  treat- 
ment with  bisulphide  of  carbon,  42  per  cent,  of  a  yellow,  clear,  fixed 
oil.  5  drops  of  it,  taken  in  water,  caused  a  lasting  burning  pain  in  the 
throat,  followed  by  nausea,  vomiting,  and  finally  strong  purgative 
effects.  Applied  externally  it  caused  a  burning  sensation,  which 
induced  the  author  to  believe  that  it  might  be  advantageously  employed 
as  a  substitute  for  the  more  expensive  Croton  oil. — Archiv  der  Phar- 
macies March,  1878,  p.  211. 
Agaricus  atrotomentosus. — By  extracting  this  agaric  with  ether 
W.  Thoerner  obtained  a  beautiful  wine-red  liquid,  and  after  evaporat- 
ing a  dark  brown  shining  crystalline  mass,  which  was  purified  by  boil- 
ing with  an  alkali,  acidulating  the  solution,  separating  the  precipitate 
by  filtration,  and  recrystallizing  from  boiling  alcohol.  The  purified 
compound  forms  dark  brown  scales  having  a  metallic  lustre  ;  dissolv- 
ing in  alcohol  with  a  wine-red  and  in  alkalies  with  a  yellow  color.  It  is 
insoluble  in  water,  ligroin,  benzol,  chloroform  and  carbon  bisulphide, 
and  with  difficulty  soluble  in  boiling  alcohol  and  glacial  acetic  acid.  It 
appears  to  be  a  dioxykinon,  CnH602(OH)2,  and  probably  a  derivative 
of  a  carbohydrogen,  CnH10. 
The  same  author  has  obtained  from  this  agaric  and  from  Ag.  bulbosus 
and  Ag.  integer  beautifully  crystallizing  double  salts  of  platinum,  with 
one  or  more  alkaloids,  and  from  A.  integer  also  a  considerable  quantity 
of  mannite. — Ber.  Deutsch.  Chem.  Gesn  1878,  p.  533. 
Extraction  of  Morphia.  —Dr.  Eugene  Buri,  referring  to  Stas-Otto's 
method,  in  which  morphia  is  dissolved  in  amylic-alcohol,  and  after 
evaporation  left  in  an  amorphous  condition  mixed  with  impurities,  like- 
wise soluble  in  amylic-alcohol,  suggests  to  evaporate  this  solution  spon- 
taneously in  a  watch-crystal,  or  if  too  bulky  to  evaporate  it  to  dryness 
on  a  water-bath,  treat  the  residue  with  about  1  or  2  cc.  of  acidulated 
water,  pour  off"  from  the  insoluble  residue,  supersaturate  with  ammonia, 
shake  again  with  2  or  3  cc.  of  amylic  alcohol,  and  allow  the  latter  to 
evaporate,  as  stated  above  ;  the  residue  will  then  consist  of  pure  crys- 
