488  Gleanings  from  the  European  Journals.  {^^CmT' 
in  ether,  12-80  uncrystallizable  sugar,  12.40  rutin,  soft  resin,  mag- 
nesia and  potassa,  30*56  mucilage,  gum  and  malate  of  lime,  and  37*62 
cellulose  and  insoluble  constituents.  The  alkaloid  is  uncrystallizable, 
has  a  strong  alkaline  reaction,  oxidizes  readily  in  contact  with  air,  is 
not  volatile,  and  has  a  disagreeable  persistently  acrid  taste.  It  is 
readily  soluble  in  alcohol,  ether,  chloroform  and  acids,  little  in  water. 
Its  salts  are  easily  soluble  in  water,  and  crystallizable.  Ammonia, 
potassa  and  its  carbonate  precipitate  the  solution  of  the  hydrochlor- 
ate;  the  precipitates  are  insoluble  in  an  excess  of  the  precipitant. 
Tannin,  chloride  of  gold,  iodine,  iodohydrargyrate  of  potassium  and 
corrosive  chloride  of  mercury  produce  precipitates,  chloride  of  pla- 
tinum only  from  concentrated  solutions.  An  elementary  analysis 
could  not  be  made  on  account  of  the  decomposition  which  the  sub- 
stance so  readily  undergoes. — Ibid.,  97-110. 
Adulterated  Kamala. — Dr.  R.  Kemper  has  lately  met  with  kamala 
in  the  German  and  English  commerce,  yielding  20*7,  26-5,  50  and 
54*4  per  cent,  ashes,  without  being  able  to  obtain  a  better  article. 
In  1868,  when  adulterated  kamala  was  also  in  the  market,  an  article 
yielding  not  over  8*7  per  cent,  ashes  could  be  readily  obtained.  An- 
derson states  the  yield  of  ashes  of  pure  kamala  to  be  3*84  per  cent. 
—Ibid.,  118. 
Detection  of  Sulphuric  Acid  in  Vinegar. — Prof.  Ludwig  remarks 
that  the  method  proposed  by  Mr.  Jas.  T.  King*  was  originally  de- 
vised by  Chevallier — Ibid.,  172. 
Culture  of  Opium  in  Germany. — Dr.  Gr.  Merck  raised,  in  1848, 
poppy  from  which  he  obtained  opium  yielding  nearly  16  per  cent,  of 
morphia.  Encouraged  by  these  results,  he  planted,  a  few  years  later, 
half  an  acre  with  poppy,  from  which  2J  lbs.  of  opium,  of  good  ap- 
pearance and  strong  odor,  were  obtained,  which,  however,  was  useless 
for  pharmaceutical  or  manufacturing  purposes,  it  yielding  scarcely  2 
per  cent,  of  morphia.  Two  years  ago  he  again  raised  opium,  which 
yielded  only  7  per  cent,  of  morphia. 
The  author  believes  that  the  quality  of  opium  depends  greatly  on 
the  soil,  and  points  to  Egypt,  where,  with  a  warm  climate,  opium  is 
produced,  rarely  if  ever  exceeding  8  per  cent,  of  morphia.  He  be- 
lieves that  the  neighborhood  of  Darmstadt  is  not  adapted  for  opium 
American  Journal  of  Pharmacy,  1872,  p.  159. 
