210  Gleanings  from  the  European  Journals.  ^"mJ^SS* 
Sugar  in  Urine. — Prof.  Seegen  observed  that  the  precipitation  of 
cuprous  oxide  from  Trommer's  test  by  small  quantities  of  sugar  is 
prevented  by  certain  constituents  of  urine,  while  uric  acid  produces 
a  reaction  similar  to  that  of  glucose.  The  author  filters  the  urine 
through  good  blood  charcoal,  which  is  afterwards  washed  with  a  little 
water.  The  charcoal  retains  all  the  uric  acid,  and  the  washings  are 
used  for  the  detection  of  sugar,  and  react  with  Trommer's  test,  if 
the  urine  contains  only  0*01  per  ct.  sugar,  unless  it  is  of  a  high  spe- 
cific gravity,      which  case  0*05  per  ct.  sugar  are  readily  detected. 
This  method  is  not  applicable  for  the  quantitative  determination, 
since  the  blood  charcoal  retains  much  sugar,  which  cannot  be  ex- 
tracted by  cold  or  hot  water. — Ibid.,  No.  v. 
Analysis  of  Melolontha  vulgaris. — The  cockchafer  or  May-bug 
contains,  according  to  an  analysis  by  Dr.  Ph.  Schreiner,  considerable 
quantities  of  oxalate  of  lime,  uric  acid  and  urates,  some  leucin,  sarkin 
and  indistinct  traces  of  xanthin,  and  melolonthin,  a  crystallizable 
body  of  the  composition  C5H12N2S03. — Annal.  d.  Chem.  u.  Ph.,  1872, 
March,  252—262. 
Pyro-catechin  in  Kino. — Prof.  Fliickiger  obtained  from  African 
and  East  Indian  kino  (from  Pterocarpus  erinaeeus  and  marsupium), 
also  from  butea  gum,  products  which  reacted  like  pyrocatechin.  Wies- 
ner  examined  last  year*  sixteen  similar  drugs,  and  observed  that  this 
compound  is  probably  always  present  therein.  The  powdered  sub- 
stance is  treated  with  ether,  this  solvent  evaporated,  and  the  residue 
dissolved  in  water.  Dilute  ferric  chloride  added  to  this  solution  im- 
parts a  green,  limewater  a  red  color.  Since  kino  is  obtained  by  eva- 
poration of  the  juice  of  the  plants,  it  is  probable  that  pyrocatechin 
is  present  in  the  plant,  and  not  a  product  formed  at  an  elevated  tem- 
perature, as  has  been  often  supposed. — Ber.  d.  d.  chem.  Ges.  zu  Ber- 
lin, 1872,  1—4,  and  47. 
Artificial  Conia. — Hugo  SchifF  gives  some  additional  information")" 
on  this  artificial  alkaloid,  in  the  separation  of  which  from  the  other 
products  of  decomposition  he  avoids  the  use  of  platinic  chloride  by 
repeated  fractional  distillation.  The  most  important  difference  be- 
tween the  native  and  the  artificial  alkaloids  lies  in  the  absence  of  all 
*  Zeitschr.  d.  cesterr.  Apoth.  Vereins,  1871,  499. 
f  See  Amer.  Journal  of  Pharmacy,  1871,  161. 
