AMbic^",i872!M'}   Gleanings  from  the  European  Journals.  539 
principle,  on  account  of  which  he  considers  the  rejection  of  the  seeds 
in  making  the  officinal  extract,  as  improper.  The  fixed  oil  obtained 
from  the  kernel  (16-94  per  cent,  of  the  seed),  is  thick,  does  not  con- 
geal in  winter,  has  a  bland  taste,  and  hardens  slowly  when  exposed 
to  the  atmosphere  in  thin  layers.  For  the  kernels  alone,  Dr.  Fliick- 
iger  estimates  the  fixed  oil  to  amount  to  about  48  per  cent.,  and  the 
soluble  and  insoluble  albumen  to  about  18  per  cent.,  so  that  their 
value  as  an  article  of  food  is  readily  explained. — Ibid.,  235-247. 
Hydrocyanates  of  the  alkaloids. — Professor  Fltickiger  has  treated 
solutions  of  the  salts  of  berberina,  quinia,  strychnia  and  morphia  with 
cyanide  of  potassium,  and  found  in  all  cases  the  precipitate  to  consist 
only  of  the  alkaloid,  entirely  free  from  hydrocyanic  acid.  The  freshly 
precipitated  alkaloids  were  diffused  in  water  and  hydrocyanic  acid 
passed  through  the  mixture  without  effecting  solution  ;  if  the  alka- 
loids are  dissolved  in  alcohol  and  the  solution  saturated  with  hydro- 
cyanic acid,  the  pure  alkaloids  are  obtained  on  evaporation,  and  the 
author  concludes,  therefore,  that  hydrocyanates  of  these  alkaloids 
do  not  exist.— N  Jahrb.f.  Pharm.,  1872,  Sept.,  138-140. 
Detection  of  water  and  alcohol  in  ether. — Prof.  R.  Boettger  agitates 
equal  volumes  of  bisulphide  of  carbon  and  ether,  which  yield  a  clear 
mixture  if  the  ether  is  anhydrous ;  a  minute  quantity  of  water  ren- 
ders it  turbid  and  milky.  A  small  piece  of  hydrate  of  potassium  im- 
mersed in  ether  is  covered,  after  24  hours,  with  a  yellowish  film,  and 
the  liquid  acquires  a  yellowish  color  if  alcohol  be  present. — Ibid.,  154, 
from  Jahresb.  d.  FranJcf  phys.  Ver. 
Preservation  of  Tincture  of  Opium. — Laudanum,  which  has  been 
filtered  clear,  gradually  separates  a  deposit  if  kept  in  a  cool  place, 
which;  at  a  slightly  elevated  temperature,  gradually  redissolves.  Tinc- 
tures of  opium  ought  therefore  be  kept  at  the  ordinary  temperature, 
or  if  they  became  turbid  in  a  cool  place  ought  not  to  be  filtered  until 
they  have  been  kept  for  some  time  in  a  warm  room. — Ibid.,  from 
Apoth.  Ztg. 
Artificial  Conia. — Hugo  Schiff  has  found  that  artificial  conia  pre- 
pared by  him,*  is  merely  isomeric  but  not  identical  with  conia,  and 
proposes  the  name  of  paraconia  for  it. — Pharm.  Zeitung,  1872,  No.  83. 
Persian  saffron. — Dr.  Hager  has  received,  under  this  name,  sam- 
ples in  the  form  of  agglutinated  cakes  possessing  a  fatty  odor  They 
*  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy,  1871,  p.  161. 
