Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  ) 
July  1, 1874.  J 
Gleanings. 
331 
bation,  little  more  than  one  gram  of  the  oil,  which  is  contained  in  the 
rhizome  as  well  as  in  the  rootlets.  The  flowers,  it  will  be  remem- 
bered, contain  salicylous  with  salicylic  acid. — Arcliiv  d.  Pharm.  7 
1874,  May,  429-433. 
A  New  Method  for  the  Estimation  of  Tannin  has  been  proposed  by 
A.  Terreil ;  it  is  based  upon  the  absorption  of  oxygen  by  tannin  in 
the  presence  of  alkali ;  and,  from  the  quantity  absorbed,  which  is  de- 
termined by  measuring  it  in  a  graduated  cylinder,  the  amount  of  tan- 
nin is  readily  calculated.  The  author  found  that  04  gram  of  tannin 
absorbs  20  cubic  centimetres  of  oxygen.  The  apparatus  and  manip- 
ulation is  described  in  Journal  de  Pharm.  et  de  Chim.,  1874,  June, 
p.  445-447.  Although  vegetables  contain  other  principles  which, 
like  tannin,  absorb  oxygen,  the  author  believes  the  process  to  be  suf- 
ficiently accurate  for  technical  purposes. 
Artificial  Vanillin  has  been  prepared  by  Tiemann  and  Haarmann 
from  coniferin,  by  heating  its  aqueous  solution  with  a  mixture  of 
bichromate  of  potassium  and  sulphuric  acid  in  a  flask  connected  with 
a  backflowing  cooler.  After  cooling,  a  little  resin  is  separated  by 
filtration,  and  the  liquid  is  agitated  with  ether ;  on  evaporation,  a 
yellow  oil  is  left,  which  crystallizes  in  a  few  days.  After  treat- 
ment with  animal  charcoal  and  recrystallization  from  water,  beautiful 
crystals,  with  the  odor  and  taste  of  vanilla,  are  obtained,  which  fuse 
at  about  80°  C.  (176°  F.),  are  readily  soluble  in  ether  and  alcohol, 
sparingly  soluble  in  cold,  more  readily  in  hot  water.  Analysis  gave 
results  agreeing  with  the  formula  C8H803.  Carefully  heated,  it  sub- 
limes without  decomposition ;  it  has  a  strong  acid  reaction,  and  gives 
with  bases  well-characterized  salts. — Pharm.  Zeitung.  1874,  No.  41? 
from  Per.  d.  d.  Gresellschaft. 
Volatile  Oil  of  Tropo?olum  majus.  A.  W.  Hofmann  found  that  the 
portion  of  this  volatile  oil  commencing  to  boil  at  160°  C.  had  a  disa- 
greeable odor  and  contained  sulphur.  The  largest  portion,  distilling 
at  226°  C.  (377°  F.),  has  the  formula  C8H7N  and  is  the  nitrile  of 
phenylacetic  acid. — Per.  d.  d.  Ohem.  Gres.f  1874,  p.  518. 
The  Volatile  Oil  of  Nasturtium  officinale  is,  according  to  A.  W. 
Hofmann,  a  mixture  which  commences  to  boil  at  120°  C.  The  main 
portion  is  obtained  at  261°  C.  (440°  F.),  and  has  at  18°  C.  the  spe- 
cific gravity  1 -0014 ;  it  is  the  nitrile  of  phenylpropionic  acid,  and 
has  the  composition  C9H9N. — Ibid,,  p.  520. 
