242  Gleanings  from  Foreign  Journals.        { ''^VaT'iss^*'*™* 
be  put  into  packages,  and  does  not  stain  the  paper. — Rep.  Pharm. 
Chimie,  ]So.  3,  1885. 
Test  for  Oil  of  Rose.—O.  Helm,  in  "  Archiv  Pharm./'  1885,  p.  104, 
observes  that  the  test  with  a  mixture  of  5  p.  chloroform  and  20  p. 
alcohol  cannot  be  relied  upon,  as  no  separation  of  crystalline  scales 
took  place  in  four  different  rose  oils  which  were  doubtless  genuine. 
But  Prof  Fliickiger  ('^Archiv,"  p.  185)  states  that  in  an  experience 
of  many  years  it  has  never  failed  in  his  hands. 
Russian  Leather. — Skins  tanned  with  willow  bark,  and  dried,  are 
rubbed  wdth  a  woollen  cloth  moistened  with  birch  tar ;  a  solution  of 
alum  is  applied,  then  a  solution  of  potassium  carbonate  and  Brazil 
wood  to  giv^e  the  desired  color,  and  lastly  the  leather  is  rubbed  with 
fish  oil— Fhar.  Ztg.,  No.  18,  1885. 
To  Prevent  Label-moulding  in  Cellars,  etc. — Dissolve  borax  in  the 
water  used  to  make  the  paste. — Ph.  Handelsblatt,  No.  5,  1885. 
Porcelain-like  Label. — Mix  thoroughly  1  part  of  oxide  of  zinc  and 
10  parts  of  solution  of  silicate  of  sodium.  Put  on  the  bottle  three  or 
four  coatings,  and  letter  with  coal  tar  diluted  with  some  oil  of  turpen- 
tine.— Rep.  Pharm.  Chimie,  No.  3,  1885. 
Gelatina  Gli/cerini  (Glycerin  Jelly). — Mix  in  a  mortar  140  Castile 
soap  and  210  glycerin;  add,  gradually,  1,680  expressed  oil  of  almond 
(in  cold  weather  only  1,2(30  will  be  necessary),  and  scent  with  4  oil  of 
thyme,  8  oil  of  bergamot  and  2  oil  of  rose. — L' Union  Pharm ;  Ph. 
Ztg.,  No.  21,  1885.^ 
Abrus  precatorius. — The  poisonous  spikes,  or  ^^sui,"  which  are 
used  in  the  Punjab  for  poisoning  cattle,  according  to  Boverton  Redwood, 
are  prepared  as  follows:  The  shell  of  the  seed  is  removed,  the  seed 
softened  in  water  and  pounded  into  a  paste,  which  is  then  rolled  out 
into  little  cylinders,  about  |  inch  long,  sharpened  at  one  end.  After 
careful  drying,  the  cylinders  are  further  sharpened  by  being  rubbed  on 
a  brick,  and  are  finally  soaked  in  animal  fat.  The  suis  are  fitted,  for 
use,  into  a  wooden  handle,  from  which  the  point  just  protrudes.  Upon 
a  blow  being  struck  Avith  this  weapon,  the  point  of  the  sui  penetrates 
the  flesh,  the  sui  being  withdrawn  from  the  handle,  into  which  it  is 
loosely  fitted,  and  remaining  in  the  wound.  Death  ensues  on  an  aver- 
age in  48  hours. — Phar.  Jour,  and  Trans.,  Dec.  20,  1884,  p.  483. 
