334  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {^'iSty.'vfS!*™' 
bismuth,  a  and  ^3-naphthol  salol  and  naphthol,  cresalole,  salol, 
sozoiodol. — Pharm.  Post,  1893,  22 \- 
Sensitive  test  for  sucrol  (para-phenetolcarbamide). — Traces  of 
sucrol  evaporated  in  a  small  capsule  with  several  drops  fuming 
nitric  acid  leave,  after  a  violent  reaction,  an  orange  colored,  resinous 
mass,  soluble  in  alcohol,  chloroform  and  ether;  if  the  residue  be 
mixed  with  a  glass  rod,  with  two  drops  each  of  liquefied  carbolic 
acid  and  concentrated  sulphuric  acid,  an  intense  blood-red  color  is 
produced,  not  fading  for  a  considerable  time  ;  the  mixture  is  soluble 
in  chloroform,  with  a  beautiful  red  color,  but  this  fades  rather 
quickly  Dr.  N.  Wender,  Pharm.  Post,  1893,  2^9- 
Cathartic  acid,  the  active  principle  of  senna,  prepared  by  the 
directions  of  previous  investigators,  Kubly  and  Stockmann,  was 
found  to  be  of  questionable  activity.  An  improved  method  yield- 
ing a  satisfactory  product  was  found  in  the  following  :  2  kilos  senna 
leaves  were  covered  with  boiling  water;  after  24  hours  the  liquid 
was  expressed  and  evaporated  in  vacuo,  the  residue  treated  with 
95  per  cent,  alcohol  for  24  hours  and  the  liquid  decanted ; 
this  operation  was  repeated  and  the  combined  and  filtered  alcoholic 
solutions  precipitated  by  neutral  acetate  of  lead  ;  the  precipitate  was 
thoroughly  washed,  made  into  a  paste  with  alcohol  and  decomposed 
with  hydrogen  sulphide  ;  the  excess  of  the  latter  was  removed  by 
a  current  of  air,  the  mixture  heated  on  a  steam  bath  for  one-half 
hour  (using  an  inverted  condenser)  and  the  alcoholic  solution  sepa- 
rated ;  the  residual  lead  sulphide  was  again  extracted  and  the  com- 
bined filtrates  mixed  with  ether,  which  caused  the  separation  of  a. 
pale  yellow  precipitate  ;  this  was  dissolved  in  30  per  cent,  alcohol 
and  evaporated  at  a  temperature  not  exceeding  500  C.  The  yield 
was  12-15  gm-5  tne  product  is  amorphous,  difficultly  soluble  in 
cold  water,  readily  soluble  in  boiling  water ;  the  best  solvent  is  a 
30-40  per  cent,  alcohol ;  ether,  benzin,  chloroform,  petroleum-ether 
are  without  solvent  action.  The  formula  from  the  results  of  com- 
bustions appears  to  be  C30H36NO15.  Pharmacological  experiments 
by  Dr.  Kobert  and  others  upon  the  lower  animals  demonstrate 
that  they  require,  large  doses  for  satisfactory  action  not  accompanied 
by  any  symptoms  of  poisoning  ;  numerous  experiments  upon  man 
prove  that  o- 1-0-15  gm.  is  a  sufficient  dose  as  a  painless  cathartic 
acting  in  from  3  to  8  hours. — A.  Gensz  vDoi^at  Dissert.),  Pharm. 
Post,  1893,  281. 
