Am.  Jowr.  Pharm. 
Oct.,  1885. 
Gleanings  from  loreign  Journals. 
651 
oil  solution  can  be  diluted  with  alcohol,  thus  overcoming  the  disagree- 
able effects  produced  by  an  alcoholic  tincture.  A  formula  for  tinctura 
iodi  cum  oleo  ricini  is  as  follows:  ^  Iodine  10,  castor  oil  45;  dis- 
solve with  a  moderate  heat  and  add  alcohol  45. — Arch.  d.  Pharm. 
Emulsion  of  Cod  Liver  Oil. — The  following  is  said  to  be  a  good 
formula :  Olei  morrhuge,  62 ;  acacise  pulv.,  tragacanth?e  pulv.,  ma- 
rantse,  aa  1 ;  syrupi,  10  ;  aq.  destilL,  55.  Mix  the  powders  in  a  mor- 
tar and  add  the  oil ;  pour  into  a  bottle,  add  31  of  water,  and  shake 
for  10  minutes.  When  the  oil  is  emulsified  the  syrup  and  balance  of 
the  water  are  added. — Schweiz.  Wochenschrift. 
Quillaia  bark  is  recommended  as  being  preferable  to  senega  by  Dr. 
Kobert  who  states,  as  the  result  of  his  experiments,  that  quillaia  con- 
tains two  glucosides  which  are  identical  with  the  glucosides  of  senega, 
quillaia  containing  about  five  times  as  much  as  senega.  He  adminis- 
ters it  in  decoction  (5 : 200),  and  owing  to  its  sweet  taste  it  is  very 
readily  taken  by  children,  seldom  producing  vomiting  or  diarrhoea. 
Detection  of  Cyanides  in  the  Presence  of  other  Salts. — Mr.  W.  J. 
Taylor  distils  with  sodium  bicarbonate  instead  of  tartaric  acid.  In 
thus  distilling  a  10  per  cent,  solution  of  ferrocyanide  of  potassium  no 
trace  of  hydrocyanic  acid  was  found,  while  in  the  distillate  from  a  y^-g- 
per  cent,  solution  of  potassium  cyanide,  treated  with  ammonium  sulphide 
to  form  sulphocyanate  of  ammonium,  hydrocyanic  acid  could  readily  be 
detected.  To  cyanide  of  mercury  a  piece  of  metallic  zinc  must  be 
added.  The  presence  of  sulphate  of  potassium,  ferrocyanide  or  ferrid- 
•cyanide  of  potassium,  and  of  aaimonium  salts,  does  not  affect  the 
reaction. 
Sulphuretted  hydrogen  free  from  arsenic  is  readily  obtained,  accord- 
ing to  Dr.  Gerhard,  by  heating  a  solution  of  sulphide  of  magnesium 
{made  by  passing  into  milk  of  magnesia)  to  about  60°C. ;  when 
the  temperature  has  reached  about  95°C.  the  reaction  will  be  over. 
As  milk  of  magnesia  absorbs  hydrosulphuric  acid  slowly,  it  can  be 
made  more  quickly  by  decomposing  the  alkalin(i  hydrosulphates  with 
chloride  or  sulphate  of  magnesium. — A^-ch.  d.  Pharm. 
Characteristic  Reaction  of  DlgitaUn. — According  to  Lafou,  a  trace 
of  digitalin  can  readily  be  detected  by  mixing  the  suspected^substauce 
with  a  mixture  of  equal  parts  of  alcohol  and  sulphuric  acid,  heating 
until  a  yellow  coloration  is  produced,  and  then  adding  a  drop  of  solu- 
tion of  chloride  of  iron ;  if  digitalin  is  present,  a  blue-green  color  is 
produced,  lasting  for  several  hours.    This  reaction  is  very  delicate ; 
