54-0       Recent  Literature  Relating  to  Pharmacy \  {ANoVJembef,hi9oa' 
Thomann  considers  that  the  daturine  in  the  seeds  of  Datura  stra- 
monium, L.,  is  in  the  nature  of  a  reserve  product.  The  flowers  of 
Datura  alba  contain  hyoscine,  and  Hesse  considers  that  it  may 
supersede  the  mixture  known  as  scopolamine  salt.  Investigations 
seem  to  show  that  there  is  no  caffeine  in  the  leaves  of  any  species 
of  Psathura  (N.  O.  Rubiaceae).  H.  A.  Martin  has  contributed  a 
paper  on  the  history  of  quinine  and  the  barks  yielding  quinine. 
Pommerhue  has  made  a  number  of  crystalline  compounds  of  the 
alkaloid  (damascenin)  extracted  by  Schneider  from  Nigella  dainas- 
cena.  H.  Meyer  has  found  that  anemonin  forms  compounds  of  the 
maleic  and  fumaric  types.  According  to  Hausman,  aspidin  is  found 
in  Aspidium  spinulosum,  whereas  filicic  acid  is  present  in  A.  filix-mas 
and  Athyrium  filix-fcemina.  A  crystalline,  non-glucosidal  principle 
(gossypol)  obtained  from  cotton  seeds  has  been  examined  by  March- 
lewski.  The  bitter  principle  of  Plumiera  lancifoliay  investigated  by 
Boorsma  and  Merck  with  discordant  results,  is  shown  by  Franche- 
mont  to  vary  in  its  melting  point  according  to  the  amount  of 
water  of  crystallization  that  it  possesses. 
Houdas  has  been  studying  the  glucosidal  principle  iji  ivy.  Ac- 
cording to  Leger,  nataloinand  homonataloin  give  a  green  coloration 
with  sulphuric  acid  and  manganese  dioxide  or  potassium  dichro- 
mate,  and  a  violet  color  with  a  solution  of  soda  containing  ammo- 
mium-persulphate.  The  investigations  of  Busse  indicate  that  in  unripe 
vanilla  fruit  there  exists  a  glucoside  which,  on  treatment  with  fer- 
ments (emulsin)  or  mineral  acids,  yields  vanillin.  According  to 
Aweng  there  are  two  groups  of  cathartic  glucosides  in  frangula, 
the  primary  glucosides  being  best  suited  for  liquid  preparations. 
The  arrow  poison  of  Wakamba  (German  East  Africa)  appears  to 
be  a  glucoside,  and  resembles  Arnaud's  ouabain.  S.  E.  Boorsma 
has  extracted  Curangin  (the  glucoside  of  Curanga  amard)  from  the 
Scrophulannese  by  means  of  ethyl  alcohol.  According  to  the  in- 
vestigations of  Hilger,  while  the  coloring  principle  of  saffron  is  a 
glucoside,  the  glucoside  picrocrocin  (or  saffron  bitter)  is  really  a 
mixture  of  coloring  principles,  one  of  which  resembles  carotin. 
Malabar  kino  has  been  shown  by  David  Hooper  to  possess  in  dry 
substance  over  90  per  cent,  of  tannin.  Hymenea  coubaril  contains 
23-8  per  cent,  catechutannic  acid  and  2-7  per  cent,  catechin.  A.  G. 
Perkin  has  been  continuing  his  studies  on  the  tannin  .and  coloring 
principles  in  a  number  of  plants.    A  yellow  coloring  principle  has 
