Am'/u°iy!'i893arm'}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  335 
Bessarabian  rhubarb,  examined  by  J.  Mbrbitz,  yielded  0-85  per 
cent,  of  pure  chrysophanic  acid  and  0*25  per  cent,  of  pure  emodin  ; 
attempts  to  isolate  cathartic  acid  failed.  The  powdered  root  taken 
in  doses  of  as  much  as  five  grams  by  different  persons  gave  negative 
results  as  a  cathartic. — Pharm.  Ztschr.  f.  Russl.,  1893,  241. 
Jatropha  curcas. — The  seed  constituents  are  as  follows  :  Water, 
7-2  per  cent.;  ash,  10-2  per  cent.;  oil,  33*86  per  cent.;  sugar,  color- 
ing matter,  cellulose,  47-83  per  cent.;  albuminoids,  1-71  per  cent. 
The  pale  yellow  oil  extracted  with  ether  uniformly  deposited  albu- 
minous matters  upon  boiling;  the  iodine  absorption  was  130;. 
saponification  figure  231  and  the  volatile  acids  (Reichert-Meissl  2  5 
gram)  0-55.  Palmitic  and  myristic  acids  along  with  an  acid,  having 
the  formula  C17H3203  and  called  curcanolic  acid,  and  a  resinous  body 
were  detected.  Experiments  having  for  their  object  the  isolation 
of  the  active  principle  of  the  seed  failed,  but  it  was  found  that  water 
was  its  best  solvent  and  removed  it  from  both  embryo  and  cotyle- 
dons (after  the  removal  of  the  oil) ;  heating  this  aqueous  solution 
to  6o°  C.  and  the  addition  of  any  of  the  albuminoid  precipitant 
destroyed  the  activity ;  it,  therefore,  differs  sharply  from  ricin,  but 
resembles  the  poisonous  albuminoid  of  the  spider  and  the  mushroom, 
Amanita  phalloides,  Fr.;  the  name  curcin  is  proposed  for  it.  Physio- 
logical experiments  with  the  root  of  Jatropha  macrorhiza,  Benth., 
establish  purgative  properties,  but  owing  to  the  poisonous  nature 
of  the  root  the  greatest  caution  must  be  exercised  in  its  use. — 
August  Siegel  (Dissert.  Dorpat),  Pharm.  Ztschr.  f.  Russl.,  1893,  242- 
Codeine  salts. — From  a  very  elaborate  investigation  by  W*. 
Gbhlich,  having  for  its  object  the  correcting  and  further  study  of 
the  salts  and  other  derivatives,  the  main  results  are  abstracted 
Codeine  has  the  formula  C18H21N03,H20 ;  the  crystallized  alkaloid 
melts  at  152-1530,  the  anhydrous  at  I55°C.  The  hydroiodate, 
hydrochlorate,  hydrobromate  and  acetate  (very  soluble)  crystallized 
from  aqueous  solutions  with  2H20  ;  the  hydroiodate  crystallized  from 
alcoholic  solution  with  only  one  molecule  water ;  the  salicylate  and 
the  aurochloride  (decomposed  at  100°)  are  anhydrous;  the  platino- 
chloride,  according  to  conditions,  contains  either  4  or  6H90  ;  the  sul- 
phate (efflorescent)  and  chromate  (decomposed  by  exposure  to  light), 
contain  5H20.  With  mercury  chloride,  codeine  hydrochlorate 
unites  to  form  the  crybtallizable  salt  (C18H21N03HU)2  H9Cl2-fP2C). 
