382  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {Am'ISg.r'if|;arrr"" 
alkaloids  as  published  by  E.  Laves  [Am.  Jour.  Pharm.,  1892,  375 )^ 
has  been  applied  to  a  number  of  alkaloids,  but  as  will  be  noted  the 
test  is  especially  characteristic  of  veratrine  and  in  a  lesser  degree 
also  of  sabadilline.  Tne  reagent  was  made  by  mixing  5  drops  of 
furfurol  with  10  cc.  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  ;  to  two  or  three 
drops  of  this  brown-colored  reagent  a  minute  quantity  of  the  alka- 
loid is  added  and  stirred  with  a  glass  rod.  Atropine,  aconitine,  bru- 
cine,  colchicin,  coniine  and  nicotine  give  brown  mixtures  with  no 
characteristics;  strychnine,  a  dirty  brown  mixture,  upon  warming 
becoming  dark  green,  the  addition  of  a  few  drops  of  water  changes 
it  to  a  dirty  blue  or  violet ;  morphine  and  codeine,  a  red-brown  color 
changing  to  a  transient  violet-red  upon  warming;  papaverine,, 
brownish,  later  dirty  violet ;  digitalin,  brown,  upon  warming  reddish  - 
quinine ,  dark  brown  green,  after  warming  green  later  brown,  the 
addition  of  water  then  causes  a  green  color  especially  seen  at  the 
edge  ;  veratrine,  yellow,  olive  green,  the  circumference  blue,  after  a 
few  minutes  green  and  then  a  beautiful  blue ;  sabadilline,  like  vera- 
trine, but  the  colors  are  not  so  pure. —  Dr.  N.  Wender,  Chemiker  Ztg.r 
1893,  950. 
For  the  determination  of  the  iodine  absorption  of  oils  and  fats. — 
P.  Welmans  proposes  a  solution  which  is  permanent  or  subject  only 
to  slight  variation  in  titer.  The  solution  is  made  by  dissolving 
without  heat  25  gm.  iodine  and  30  gm.  mercuric  chloride  in  500  cc. 
ether  and  making  up  to  one  litre  with  acetic  acid.  The  solution 
titrated  at  once,  and  after  two  weeks  showed  that  no  deterioration 
had  taken  place  ;  compared  with  the  original  Hubl's  solution  in  the 
examination  of  olive  oil  and  lard,  it  was  found  to  give  almost 
identical  results,  also  that  the  presence  of  ether  did  not  necessitate 
the  use  of  chloroform.  Concerning  the  time  required  for  the  com- 
plete absorption  of  the  iodine  eighteen  hours'  standing  at  17-20° 
C.  was  found  to  be  sufficient,  while  six  hours  was  insufficient ;  the 
influence  of  an  excess  of  iodine  was  completely  exerted  in  the 
presence  of  an  excess  of  28  per  cent. — Pharm.  Ztg.,  1893,  221  • 
The  assay  of  spirit  of  camphor  is  conveniently  accomplished  by 
the  use  of  the  polariscope,  Dr.  E.  Holdermann  ascertaining  that  a 
spirit  containing  10  per  cent,  camphor  examined  in  the  200  mm. 
tube  showed  a  deviation  of  about  10°  to  the  right  (9-6°  exactly)  ;. 
by  diluting  with  dilute  alcohol  such  a  spirit  to  5  per  cent,  cam- 
