Am' June,*  i893arm* }  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  285. 
ferric  salt,  and  this  then  reacts  with  the  ferrocyanide,  forming 
Prussian  blue,  thus  explaining  the  blue  color  of  the  residue.  The 
acids  in  the  gastric  juice  (hydrochloric  and  lactic)  decomposing 
potassium  ferrocyanide,  direct  experiments  were  made  with  artificial 
gastric  juice  at  a  temperature  of  37-400  C,  with  the  result  that  after  a 
short  time,  evidence  was  obtained  showing  the  formation  of  hydro- 
cyanic acid.  Casein  and  peptone,  in  the  absence  of  free  acids, 
under  the  same  conditions,  liberated  but  traces  of  hydrocyanic  acid. 
The  non-poisonous  action  of  potassium  ferrocyanide  is  explained  by 
the  decomposition  being  very  slow,  but  if  the  administration  be 
followed  by  that  of  an  acid  (a  case  is  cited  in  which  tartaric  acid 
was  taken  afterward),  death  is  rapidly  caused.  The  decomposition 
of  potassium  ferrocyanide  by  dilute  acetic  acid  has  some  importance 
in  the  examination  of  urine  for  albumen  by  the  ferrocyanide  test, 
a  turbidity,  occurring  only  after  some  standing,  may  not  be  due  to  the 
presence  of  albumen,  but  to  the  formation  of  insoluble  potassium 
ferrous  ferrocyanide.  The  detection  of  hydrocyanic  acid  or  simple 
cyanides,  excepting  mercuric  cyanide,  in  presence  of  potassium 
ferrocyanide  is  alone  possible  by  Jaquemin's  method,  in  which  the 
material  is  distilled  after  the  addition  of  a  considerable  quantity  ot 
sodium  bicarbonate.  This  salt  will  not  unite  with  free  hydrocyanic 
acid,  nor  will  it  decompose  potassium  ferrocyanide.  The  distillate 
from  o*oi  gram  potassium  cyanide,  10  grams  ferrocyanide  and  200 
cc.  water,  will  give  a  pronounced  test  for  hydrocyanic  acid. 
Mercuric  cyanide  will  not  yield  HCN  by  Jaquemin's  test,  but  if  to 
the  mixture  a  few  cc.  of  hydrogen  sulphide  water  be  added  the  dis- 
tillate will  contain  HCN  ;  this  test  is  serviceable  for  the  detection 
of  mercuric  cyanide  even  in  presence  of  large  quantities  of  ferrocy- 
anide. While  hydrogen  sulphide  easily  decomposes  the  ferrocyanide 
in  the  absence  of  sodium  bicarbonate,  the  addition  of  one  per  cent. 
of  sodium  bicarbonate  completely  prevents  the  decomposition. — 
Dr.  W.  Autenrieth,  Arch,  der  Pharm.,  1893,  99-109. 
Solanaceous  bases. — Apoatropine  by  treatment  with  hydrochloric 
acid  according  to  the  directions  of  Hesse  (Am.  Jour.  Pharm.,  1892, 
644)  for  converting  atrop amine  into  belladonnine  was  found  to  form 
compounds  which  undoubtedly  prove  the  identity  of  apoatropine 
and  atropamine.  The  investigation  also  established  that  atropine 
by  loss  of  one  molecule  of  water  is  converted  into  apoatropine,  and 
this  in  turn  by  dilute  hydrochyloric  acid  yields  belladonnine,  which 
