374 
Varieties. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\     Aug.  1, 1872. 
centrated.  A  soap  is  formed  with  the  stearic  acid,  whilst  the  paraf- 
fin is  left  unaltered.  Sodium  chloride  is  thrown  into  the  solution, 
whereby  the  soap  is  separated  out  as  a  soda  soap,  and  in  precipitating 
takes  down  the  paraffin  with  it.  The  soap  obtained  is  thrown  on  the 
filter  and  washed  with  cold  water  or  very  dilute  spirits  of  wine.  Thus, 
firstly,  the  sodium  chloride  is  washed  out,  and  finally,  the  soap  is 
brought  into  solution  and  likewise  washed  through  the  filter,  leaving 
the  paraffin,  which  is  then  dried  at  a  temperature  below  35°  C.  so  as 
not  to  fuse  it.  The  paraffin  is  then  treated  on  the  filter  with  ether, 
and  after  repeated  washing  with  this  solvent,  the  ethereal  solution  is 
carefully  evaporated  in  a  weighed  porcelain  crucible,  in  the  water-bath, 
at  a  low  temperature.  The  residue  consisting  of  the  paraffin  is  then 
weighed,  and  the  stearic  acid  is  estimated  by  difference. — The  Phar 
Jour,  and  Trans.,  July  6,  1872,  from  Journal  of  the  Chemical 
Society. 
t)arutic0. 
Belgian  Pharmacopoeia. — By  a  decree  of  the  King  of  the  Belgians,  dated 
27th  February,  a  commission  has  been  instituted  of  professors  of  the  medical 
sciences  to  revise  the  official  code  of  that  country,  and  the  Drs.  Crocq,  Chan- 
delon,  Depaise,  Gille  and  Lesebre  have  been  named  as  members  of  the  com- 
mittee.— Med.  Press  and  Ctrc,  Lond.,  June  5.  1872. 
Paraffin. — Not  long  ago,  the  whole  stock  of  paraffin  wax  in  the  world  did 
not  exceed  four  ounces,  which  was  carefully  preserved  in  the  laboratory  of 
Prof.  Liebig  as  a  chemical  curiosity.  There  is  now  produced  in  Scotland  alone 
a  quantity  of  not  less  than  5.800  tons  annually. — Journ.  Applied  Science,  Lond., 
July  1,  1872. 
Conversion  of  Pyro-Phosphates  into  Phosphates. — M.  Prinvault. — When 
boracic  acid  is  fused  along  with  pyro-phosphate  of  soda,  and  the  fused  mass 
taken  up  with  water,  there  is  formed  ordinary  phosphate  of  soda;  the  pyro- 
phosphate of  soda  has  thus  absorbed  an  equivalent  of  water  of  constitution  by 
the  action  of  the  boracic  acid.  It  is,  the  author  thinks,  probable  that  phospho- 
borate  of  soda  is  formed,  which  is  decomposed  by  the  water  into  boracic  acid 
and  ordinary  phosphate  of  soda.  The  action  of  sulphuric  acid,  when  convert- 
ing pyro  phoshate  of  soda  into  ordinary  phosphate  of  soda,  is  explained  by  the 
author  as  due  to  the  formation  of  an  alkaline  phospho-sulphate. —  Chem.  Neivs, 
Lond.,  June  7,  1872,  from  Compt.  rend.,  May  6. 
Preparation  of  Caustic  Soda  by  means  of  iSulphuret  of  Sodium. — Tessie  du 
Motay. — The  author  distinguishes  between  processes  by  the  dry  and  the  wet 
