AmbJc°tu,ri8P78arm'}  Gleanings  from  the  French  Journals.  475 
cury,  25*0  iodide  of  potassium,  8o*o  grams  caustic  potassa  and  water 
enough  to  make  1  liter.  40  cc.  of  this  solution  are  heated  to  the  boil- 
ing point,  and  sufficient  solution  of  glucose  is  added  to  cause  a  com- 
plete reduction  of  the  mercury,  and  until  a  few  drops  of  the  liquid 
cease  to  be  blackened  on  the  addition  of  sulphhydrate  of  ammonium. 
40  cc.  of  this  solution  correspond  to  01342  gram  of  glucose. — Pharm. 
Centralh.,  June  13,  p.  217. 
Balsamum  antarthriticum  Indicum  [Indian  balsam)  is  the  juice 
of  a  probably  leguminous  tree  indigenous  to  the  tropics,  and  is  obtained 
by  making  deep  incisions  into  the  stem.  It  is  used  by  the  natives  as  a 
lotion  for  the  whole  body,  it  preventing,  in  their  opinion,  the  injurious 
•effects  of  moisture  and  sudden  changes  in  the  temperature  ;  it  is  also 
employed  as  an  antirheumatic  remedy.  Dr.  H.  v.  Hoelder  used  it 
extensively  for  severe  muscular  and  chronic  rheumatism  and  arthritis, 
both  alone  and  in  connection  with  salicylic  acid,  and  is  fully  convinced 
of  its  superiority  over  other  external  remedies.  It  has  a  syrupy  con- 
sistence, a  peculiar,  characteristic,  unpleasant  odor,  a  light  brown  color, 
and  contains  much  mucilaginous  matter. — Pharm.  Ztg^  July  6,  1878, 
p.  469. 
Sapucaja  nuts,  the  seeds  of  different  species  of  Lecythis  (Lecy- 
this  ollaria,  L.  lanceolata,  L.  pisonis,  etc.),  N.  O.  Lecythideae,  Rich., 
indigenous  to  Brazil,  were  recently  exported  to  Sweden.  Dr.  R.  F. 
Friestaedt  describes  them  as  nearly  cylindrical,  plum-shaped,  longitu- 
dinally deeply  grooved,  otherwise  smooth,  and  light  brown  in  color. 
The  embryo  is  soft  and  has  a  mild  and  pleasant  odor.  They  contain 
much  fatty  oil. — Pharm.  Ztschr.  f.  RussL,  June  1,  1878,  p.  335. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  FRENCH  JOURNALS. 
By  the  Editor. 
Subnitrate  of  Bismuth. — With  the  object  of  preparing  this  salt 
of  constant  composition,  without  any  notable  complications  and  with 
little  loss  of  material,  A.  Lalieu  has  devised  the  following  process: 
200  grams  of  bismuth  are  dissolved  in  the  usual  manner  in  the  requi- 
site quantity  of  nitric  acid,  the  solution  decanted  from  the  insoluble 
matter  and  poured  into  about  8  liters  of  water,  containing  500  grams 
of  ammonia  water.  The  bulky  white  precipitate  is  washed,  trans- 
ferred to  a  capsule  and  heated  in  a  water-bath  for  fifteen  or  twenty 
