* 
AmXJuri87h8arm'}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  385 
The  Glucoside  of  Rhamnus  infectorius  (French  Berries). — Lieber- 
mann  and  Hormann  exhaust  the  powdered  berries  by  boiling  90  per 
cent,  alcohol,  decanted  from  a  brown  resinous  glucoside,  and  collected 
the  light  yellow  masses  of  Xanthorhamnin,  of  which  more  was  obtained 
by  concentrating  the  alcoholic  mother-liquor.  3  kilos  of  the  berries 
yielded  about  185  grams  of  resinous  glucoside  and  183  grams  of  pure 
xanthorhamnin,  which  was  found  to  be  identical  with  Schuetzenber- 
ger's  Rbamnegin,  very  soluble  in  cold  water,  soluble  in  alcohol,  but 
insoluble  in  benzol,  ether  and  chloroform  ;  it  crystallizes  from  alcohol 
in  light  yellow  microscopic  needles. —Ber.  Deutscb.  Cbem.  Ges.,  May, 
1878,  p.  952. 
Action  of  Reducing- Agents  on  the  Product  obtained  by  treating 
Brucia  with  Nitric  Acid. — R.  Roehre  dissolved  1  part  of  brucia  in 
25  parts  of  nitric  acid,  spec.  grav.  1*4,  and  allowed  the  red  solution  to 
stand  until  it  turned  yellow.  On  adding  stannous  chloride  in  excess 
the  color  changed  to  a  beautiful  dark  violet,  which  soon  became  dark 
red,  and  finally  colorless  after  slowly  separating  violet  crystals.  These 
are  soluble  in  water  and  mineral  acids  with  a  violet,  but  in  nitric  acid 
with  a  yellow  and  in  potassa  with  a  greenish-yellow  color,  sparingly 
soluble  in  alcohol  and  insoluble  in  ether,  benzol,  petroleum-ether, 
bisulphide  of  carbon  and  amylic  alcohol. 
The  solution  of  brucia  in  nitric  acid  yields  with  sulphide  of  ammo- 
nium beautiful  brick-red  shining  needles,  which  are  soluble  in  hot 
water  and  in  the  mineral  acids  with  a  red  and  in  caustic  potassa  with  a 
blue  color. 
If  sulphurous  acid  is  used  in  the  place  of  stannous  chloride  or  ammo- 
nium-sulphide, violet  crystals  will  form,  while  sulphuretted  hydrogen 
causes  a  light  violet  precipitate. — Ber.  Deutsch.  Cbem.  Ges.y  April,. 
1878,  p.  741.  , 
Bixin,  C28H3405,  the  coloring  principle  of  arnotta,  the  pulp  sur- 
rounding the  seeds  of  Bixa  orellana,  Lin.,  was  obtained  by  C.  Etti  in 
dark  red  four-cornered  crystalline  plates,  of  a  metallic  lustre,  which 
melt  at  I75°C.  Bixin  is  insoluble  in  water,  sparingly  soluble  in  ether, 
alcohol,  benzol,  bisulphide  of  carbon  and  glacial  acetic  acid,  more 
soluble  in  chloroform  and  boiling  alcohol ;  it  unites  with  alkalies  to 
soluble  compounds  in  water,  reduces  Fehling's  solution  and  yields  with 
permanganates  mainly  oxalic  acid.    It  is  prepared  as  follows  :  1*5  kilo 
