20  Gleanings  from  the  Foreign  Journals.  {Am*jl0n"r'If7b7^rn 
molecular  weights  of  cinchonidia  and  phenol  are  dissolved  in  dilute 
alcohol  and  mixed,  an  oily  liquid  separates  and  on  standing  becomes 
crystalline  ;  if  strong  alcohol  be  employed,  fine  crystals  are  produced,, 
constituting  colorless,  glassy,  odorless  prisms,  stable  in  the  air,  but 
evolving  phenol  on  heating :  these  have  the  composition  2C20H24N3- 
O.C6H60,  whence  the  author  terms  the  compound  semi-phenol  cinchon- 
idia ;  the  whole  of  the  associated  phenol  is  expelled  at  1300  and  is  lost 
on  repeatedly  crystallising  from  alcohol.  This  substance  is  capable  of 
combining  with  acids,  e.g.,  sulphuric  acid  forming  the  double  phenolo- 
sulphate  formerly  described  (this  Journal,  1876,  ii,  3 13)1 ;  in  alcoholic 
solution  it  has  a  strongly  alkaline  reaction,  and  precipitates  ferric  oxide 
from  a  solution  of  a  chloride.  Addition  of  excess  of  acid  causes  the 
separation  of  phenol,  a  cinchonidia  salt  being  formed. 
If  2 — 3  molecules  of  phenol  are  employed  for  one  of  cinchonidia, 
crystals  are  obtained  containing  more  phenol,  being  represented  by  the 
formula  2C20H24N2O,3C6H6O  ;  whence  the  author  terms  this  body 
sesqui-phenol  cinchonidia.  No  more  phenol  becomes  added  on  recrystal- 
lization  from  alcohol  containing  much  phenol ;  on  solution  in  hot  alco- 
hol, or  on  gentle  heating,  the  crystals  are  partly  decomposed,  with 
evolution  of  phenol  ;  when  one  part  of  sesqui-phenol  cinchonidia  is 
dissolved  in  about  five  of  alcohol,  the  crystals  which  separate  have 
about  the  composition  of  semi-phenol  cinchonidia  ;  with  larger  quantities 
of  alcohol  a  smaller  amount  of  phenol  is  retained,  and  finally  pure 
cinchonidia  separates.  On  saturating  the  hot  alcoholic  solution  with 
sulphuric  acid,  cinchonidia  phenolo-sulphate  2C20H24N2O.C6H6O.H2 
S04<4H20  crystallizes  out  on  cooling. 
Although  quinia  and  cinchonidia  readily  combine  with  phenol,  the 
dextro-rotatory  cinchona  alkaloids,  cinchonia,  quinidia  and  quinamina 
crystallize  unchanged  from  an  alcoholic  solution  .containing  phenol, 
whatever  may  be  the  proportion  between  the  alkaloid  and  phenol 
present. — C.  R.  A.  W.  in  Jour.  Chem.  Soc,  Dec,  1876. 
Solubility  of  Salicylic  Acid. — B.  Kohlmann  states  that  300  parts 
of  water  fail  to  retain  one  part  of  salicylic  acid  in  permanent  solution, 
even  at  the  summer  temperature.  The  addition  of  sodium  phosphate 
and  similar  salts  having  an  alkaline  reaction  is  considered  to  be  inad- 
missible, because  the  antiseptic  properties  are  thereby  impaired.  Gly- 
cerin and  alcohol  do  not  materially  increase  the  solubility  in  water 
unless  added  in  considerable  proportion.  A  very  convenient  solvent  is. 
1  "Amer.  Jour.  Phar.,"  1876,  p.  325. 
