12  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals,  {Araji°n%i£arm- 
increases  the  tendency  of  the  mineral  oils  to  oxidize  when  treated 
with  sulphuric  acid  and  oxidizing  agents,  therefore  in  practice  it  is 
best  to  take  the  fractions  obtained  by  treating  the  naphtha  residues 
with  superheated  steam.  Taking  the  mixed  fractions  having  a 
specific  gravity  of  about  0-900  and  heating  them  with  sulphuric 
acid  and  manganese  dioxide  while  air  is  forced  through  under  pres- 
sure, there  will  result  a  product  of  which,  when  purified  by  distilling 
with  water  in  vacuo,  60-80  per  cent,  is  directly  saponifiable  with 
alkalies.  The  product  through  exposure  to  air  loses  to  a  considerable 
extent  the  property  of  saponification  ;  increase  of  temperature  in 
the  saponification  also  brings  ab:>ut  changes  in  the  oils  and  causes 
them  to  separate  from  combination.  A  soap  made  by  observing 
proper  precautions  was  found  to  be  as  valuable  as  any  soap  made 
from  vegetable  or  animal  fats. — R.  Haack,  Chcmikcr  Ztg.,  1892. 
1598. 
Arnica  montana. — An  analysis  of  the  flowers  disclosed  the  pres- 
ence of  fit,  composed  of  the  glycerides  of  lauric  and  palmitic  acids 
with  a  hydrocarbon  (o-i  per  cent.)  of  the  marsh  gas  series,  obtain- 
able from  the  solution  in  acetone  as  pearly  scales,  melting  at  6o°  C; 
malic  acid  and  dextrose  are  also  present  in  the  flowers  ;  but  the 
important  constituent  appears  to  be  armcin  C^H^O.,,  present  to  the 
extent  of  4  per  cent  ,  and  obtainable  from  a  concentrated  acetone, 
solution  as  a  microcrystalline  mass,  deliquescing  after  prolonged 
exposure;  it  melts  at  400  and  boils  at  83°  C;  in  larger  quantities  it 
appears  of  a  red  yellow  color  ;  in  thin  layers  it  is  golden  yellow  ;  it 
is  easily  soluble  in  ether,  alcohol,  acetone,  benzole,  and  is  insoluble 
in  water  and  alkalies. — B.  Bbrner  (Apoth.  Ztg)  Pharm.  Ccntrallialle, 
1892,  638. 
Mercurial  Ointment. — A  recommendation  by  H.  Borntraeger, 
according  to  which  it  is  possible  to  make  an  ointment  containing 
98  per  cent,  metallic  mercury,  consists  in  triturating  the  mercury 
with  oleate  of  mercury  ;  the  ointment  of  this  strength  is  suitable  for 
preparing  the  officinal  ointment  by  diluting  with  lard.  It  is  also 
considered  feasible  to  change  the  liquid  character  of  mercury  to 
that  of  a  solid  with  the  aid  of  a  little  oleate  of  mercury  and  thus 
avoid  the  shipment  of  a  troublesome  liquid  ;  after  transportation 
ether  will  extract  the  oleate,  leaving  the  mercury  again  in  the  liquid 
state. — Pharm.  Post,  1892,  1245. 
Benzoic  acid  made  from  the  resin  can  be  distinguished  from  the 
