342  Gleanings  from  the  French  Journals.  {AmjJ°yu,r-l8P78arm' 
and  eko  also  called  pant  du  mahardo  (probably  Coccculus  toxiferus, 
Wed.)  The  young  bark  of  these  plants  is  well  scraped,  and  the  scrap- 
ings mixed  in  the  proportion  of  4  parts  of  the  powder  and  1  part  of 
the  latter  ;  the  mixture  is  well  kneaded  with  the  hands  and  in  a  funnel 
made  of  a  palm  leaf  exhausted  with  cold  water,  the  liquid  being  re- 
turned 7  or  8  times.  The  red  infusion  is  boiled  with  fragments  of  taja 
(an  aroidea)  and  mucura-ea-ha  or  eone  (probably  Didelphys  cancrivora). 
After  about  6  hours  the  liquid  has  acquired  a  thick  consistence  and  is 
mixed  with  the  scrapings  of  three  species  of  pepper  (Artanthe  ?)  and 
tau-ma-gere  and  again  boiled  and  allowed  to  cool,  when  it  will  have 
the  consistence  of  a  thick  paste. — Jour,  de  Phar.  et  de  Ckim.,  June, 
P-  443- 
Catechin. — A.  Gautier  has  communicated  to  the  Academie  des  sci- 
ences his  researches  on  catechin  from  catechu.  He  found  its  formula 
to  be  C21H1808,  which  differs  from  the  formulas  as  ascertained  by 
Zwenger,  Hlasiwetz  and  Rochleder.  Fused  with  potassa,  proto- 
catechate  of  potassium,  KC7H504,  and  phloroglucin,  C6H603,  are  the 
principal  decomposition  products  obtained,  besides  a  hydrocarbon,  CH4, 
water,  formiate  and  carbonate  of  potassium,  according  to  the  supply  of 
oxygen.  Heated  with  very  diluted  sulphuric  acid  to  I40°C,  an 
amorphous  orange-colored  body,  C28H2207,  is  obtained,  which  is  little 
soluble  in  hot  water,  precipitates  ferric  salts  blackish  green  and  is 
readily  oxidized  to  red  and  brown  compounds.  Among  the  products 
of  decomposition  are  also  two  which  are  soluble  in  ether,  one  of  which 
is  precipitated  by  acetate  of  lead  and  is  protocatechuic  acid  ;  the  other 
seems  to  have  the  composition  C11H1607  and  to  be  a  polyatomic 
phenol. — Jour,  de  Phar.  et  de  Chim.,  May,  p.  368. 
Jaborandi. — Prof.  Baillon  has  examined  the  jaborandi  used  by  the 
pharmacists  of  Paris  and  noticed  that  three  kinds  are  employed, 
namely,  Piper  (Serronia)  jaborandi,  Velloso,  Pilocarpus  pennatifolius, 
Lem.,  and  Piloc.  Selloanus,  Engl.  The  first  is  now  very  rare  .in  com- 
merce. In  regard  to  the  others  he  suggests  that  they  may,  perhaps, 
be  merely  two  varieties  of  one  species.  The  author  has  in  his  posses- 
sion fresh  leaves  of  Pit.  pennatifolius,  the  nerves  of  which  are  destitute 
of  hairs  on  both  sides  ;  he  has  noticed,  however,  a  slight  difference  in 
the  color  of  the  bark,  which,  near  the  top  of  the  branches  of  Pil. 
Selloanus,  is  usually  more  yellowish  or  of  a  pale  brown. — Ibid.,  p.  393. 
