Am'iug^*i893arm'}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  381 
figures,  according  to  Hiibl,  exclude  the  presence  of  ceresin  and 
paraffin  and  positively  indicate  a  pure  wax.  To  obtain  the  proper 
Hiibl's  figures  in  a  wax  adulterated  with  Japan  wax  or  tallow, 
paraffin  or  ceresin  would  have  to  be  added  along  with  stearic  acid 
or  rosin;  if  adulterated  with  carnauba  wax,  stearic  acid  or  resin 
must  be  added.  In  the  analysis  of  white  wax  bleached  with 
chemicals  the  acid  equivalent  may  run  as  high  as  24  ;  this  is  the 
only  deviation  from  the  standard  figures  and  is  allowable,  providing 
no  stearic  acid  or  resin  is  detected. — George  Buchner,  Chemiker 
Ztg.,  1893,  918. 
Geissospermine. — From  the  bark  of  Geissospermum  Vellosii  two 
alkaloids  were  isolated  by  Hesse:  Crystallizable  geissospermine 
C19H24N202  -f  H20  and  amorphous  pereirine  C^H^N^.  Under  the 
name  of  geissospermine  a  beautifully  crystallizable  alkaloid  is 
isolated  by  Trommsdorff ;  it  has  the  formula  C23H28N204,  melts  at 
1890  C,  and  unites  with  one  molecule  of  the  monobasic  acids.  The 
researches  of  Langgaard  give  it  physiological  action  simulating  that 
of  strychnine  and  brucine.  The  alkaloid  is  easily  converted  by 
loss  of  water  into  an  amorphous  base,  melting  at  60-700,  for  which 
the  formula  C46H54N407  is  calculated ;  this  base  unites  with  four 
molecules  of  monobasic  acids  to  form  salts,  and  by  fusion  with 
potassium  hydrate  yields  a  crystallizable  base,  melting  at  15 1°  C, 
which  is  being  investigated. — M.  Freund  and  Ch.  Fauvet  (Berichte), 
Chem.  Repertorium,  1893,  l77- 
Gelseminine,  precipitated  from  solutions  of  its  pure  salts,  is  a 
white,  amorphous  powder,  which  sinters  at  105 0  C.  and  melts  at 
1200,  undergoing  partial  decomposition.  The  analyses  of  the  base 
and  of  some  of  its  salts  do  not  decide  if  its  formula  is  C^H^N^  or 
C22H26N203.  The  hydrochlorate  is  crystallizable,  while  the  sulphate, 
because  of  its  solubility  in  water  and  alcohol,  was  only  obtainable 
in  discolored  flakes  by  adding  ether  to  the  alcoholic  solution.  The 
best  crystallizable  salt  is  the  nitrate  made  by  carefully  adding  nitric 
acid  to  the  alkaloid  suspended  in  water  until  a  clear  solution  results, 
this,  by  standing,  deposits  crystals,  melting  with  decomposition  at 
1 88°  C.  Platinic  and  gold  chlorides  cause  respectively  yellow 
and  brown  amorphous  precipitates. — L.  Spiegel  (Berichte),  Chem. 
Repertorium,  1893,  l77- 
Alkaloidal  color  reactions, — The  principle  of  the  furfurol  test  for 
