59 8  Gleanings  from  the  Foreign  Journals.  {AmbJecu,ri8>7^rm* 
and  with  mercuric,  mercurous  and  silver  nitrates  ;  the  last  two  remain 
white  on  boiling. 
A  solution  of  hypophosphate  does  not  precipitate  the  chlorides  of 
platinum,  gold  or  mercury  ;  but  yields  with  magnesium  sulphate  a  crys- 
talline precipitate  soluble  in  ammonium  chloride  ;  with  barium  chloride^ 
a  white  precipitate  ;  with  alum  and  zinc  sulphate,  gradually,  gelatinous 
precipitates  ;  with  ferrous  sulphate  a  whitish,  with  cobalt  nitrate  a  red- 
dish, and  with  cadmium  sulphate  a  white  precipitate. 
The  two  sodium  salts  have  the  composition  NaHP3,3HzO  and 
Na2P03,5H20. — Zeitschr.  Oest.  Apoth.  Ver.,  No.  27 — Ann.  d.  Chem.y 
Vol.  187. 
Detection  of  Traces  of  Iodine. — E.  Filhol  recommends  to  extract* 
the  iodine  in  the  usual  manner,  by  evaporation  with  a  little  potassa  to 
dryness,  treating  with  alcohol,  evaporating  this  solution,  and  redissolv- 
ing  the  residue  in  a  few  drops  of  water  ;  this  is  mixed  with  a  few 
drops  of  muriatic  acid,  then  with  some  chromic  acid,  and  agitated  with 
a  little  carbon  bisulphide,  which  acquires  a  violet  color.  5*0  milligram 
of  iodine  may  thus  be  detected. — Zeitschr.  Oest.  Apoth.  Ver.,  No.  27 
Jour,  de  Phar.  et  de  Chim.,  May. 
Mercurous  Iodide. — Schlagdenhauffen  has  examined  the  various 
processes  recommended  for  preparing  this  compound  and  arrived  at  the 
conclusion  that,  even  after  prolonged  trituration  of  mercury  and  iodine 
in  the  proper  proportion,  there  results  a  mixture  of  metallic  mercury 
and  mercurous-mercuric  iodide.  If  prepared  by  double  decomposi- 
tion of  mercurous  salt  (nitrate)  and  potassium  iodide,  a  mixture  results 
of  variable  proportions  of  the  same  constituents,  and  if  a  sufficient 
excess  of  potassium  iodide  is  employed,  the  yellow  precipitate  disap- 
pears with  the  formation  of  potassio-mercuric  iodide,  leaving  metallic 
mercury  behind. — Jour.  Phar.  d'  Alsace- Lorr.^  173 — 176. 
Syrup  of  Ipecacuanha. — A.  Martin  proposes  to  prepare  this  syrup 
from  the  hydro-alcoholic  extract  of  ipecacuanha,  by  dissolving  it  in 
water  and  evaporating  the  solution  again  to  an  extract  containing  15 
per  cent,  of  moisture.  A  syrup  corresponding  to  the  requirements  of 
the  Belgian  Pharmacopoeia  is  obtained  by  dissolving  1*50  grm.  of  this 
aqueous  extract  in  sufficient  warm  simple  syrup  to  obtain  1,000  grams. 
The  advantages  of  the  process  are  exact  and  uniform  strength,  recovery 
of  all  the  alcohol,  and  easy  preservation  without  becoming  mouldy  like 
the  simple  alcoholic  extract. — Jour.  Phar.  d'Anvers^  361 — 363. 
