Am*AuJ?i893arm'}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  383, 
phor  a  deviation  of  -f  50  is  noted;  by  diluting  to  I  per  cent, 
camphor  the  reading  will  be  -j-  i°.  Each  degree  of  dextrogyre 
deviation  therefore  indicates  one  per  cent,  camphor. — Apo-theker 
Ztg.,  1893,  306. 
The  examination  of  nitric  acid  for  iodic  acid  is  best  made  by  add- 
ing to  10  cc.  of  the  30  per  cent,  nitric  acid  a  few  fragments  of 
metallic  tin,  applying  a  moderate  heat  and  allow  ing  to  stand  for  one 
minute ;  by  agitating  with  chloroform  the  latter  will  take  up  any 
iodine  liberated  from  the  iodic  acid.  This  test  has  preference  over 
others  in  that  an  excess  of  tin  will  not  combine  with  the  liberated 
iodine. — Dr.  E.  Pieszczek,  Apotheker  Ztg.,  1893,  322- 
Cholera,  a  nitrite  poisoning. — Emmerich  and  Tsuboi,  according  to 
publications  in  the  Munchener  med.  Wochenschrift,  come  to  the  con- 
clusion that  cholera  is  a  nitrite  poisoning,  basing  their  conclusions 
upon  the  facts  that  the  cholera  bacillus  is  able  to  a  greater  extent 
than  any  other  bacillus  to  reduce  nitrates  to  nitrites  and  the  internal 
administration  of  nitrites  in  quantity  of  0-5-0-6  gm.  is  capable  of 
producing  very  similar  physiological  effects  in  man.  While  other 
varieties  of  bacteria  are  capable  of  forming  nitrites,  none  of  these 
thrive  in  the  intestines. — Apotheker  Ztg.,  1893,  322- 
Galbanum,  as  it  now  occurs  in  commerce,  differs  in  certain  respects 
from  the  galbanum  of  some  years  ago ;  in  physical  respects  the 
consistency  is  more  like  terebinthina,  while  the  odor  resembles  that 
of  the  so-called  Levant  galbanum.  Towards  solvents  and  the  strong 
acids  the  greatest  difference  is  shown,  the  strong  acids  acting  upon 
the  gum  resin  itself  or  its  alcoholic  solutions  give  only  yellowish  or 
brownish  colorations  instead  of  the  violet  colorations  procurable 
according  to  several  pharmacopoeias.  Petroleum-ether  extracts 
from  23-50-30-50  per  cent,  resin  and  volatile  oil  after  heating  to 
120°  C  until  constant  weight  is  obtained  from  3-5-4-5  per  cent, 
resin  is  indicated ;  in  previous  investigations  only  0-5-10  per  cent, 
resin  was  found.  This  resin  is  soluble  in  sodium  hydrate,  and  upon 
the  addition  of  acid  a  substance  called  galbanic  acid  separates  which 
later  becomes  crystalline.  The  presence  of  this  larger  percentage 
of  resin  interferes  somewhat  with  the  test  for  terebinthina ;  the 
petroleum-ether  solution  agitated  with  an  aqueous  cupric  acetate 
with  pure  galbanum  shows  only  a  pale  green  color,  whereas  the 
pressure  of  10  per  cent,  turpentine  gives  to  the  petroleum  ether 
