456  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  { Am'siptr,'Sarm' 
water  to  make  one  liter  solution.  These  solutions  are  titrated  as  in 
the  original  method  by  Hubl.  To  determine  with  them  the  iodine 
absorption  of  oils,  etc.,  about  100  milligrams  of  a  drying  oil  and 
200  milligrams  of  a  non-drying  oil  are  weighed  into  a  glass  stoppered 
bottle,  50  cc.  of  the  iodine  solution  added,  agitated  until  the  oil  is 
dissolved,  the  iodine  solution  covered  with  a  layer  of  water  to  pre- 
vent loss  of  iodine  and  allowed  to  stand  fifty  hours  ;  the  excess  of 
iodine  is  then  titrated  by  adding  the  thiosulphate  solution  until  after 
agitation  only  a  faint  red  color  remains ;  the  addition  of  a  small 
quantity  of  starch  paste  is  then  made  and  the  thiosulphate  added 
until  the  mixture  is  completely  decolorized.  The  difference  in  the 
sodium  thiosulphate  solution  required  in  the  blank  and  actual  tests 
gives  the  quantity  from  which  the  iodine  absorbed  by  the  oil  is  calcu- 
lated. The  results  obtained  are  notably  lower  than  those  obtained  by 
Hubl's  method,  although  they  are  proportionately  about  the  same: 
Cotton-seed  oil,  43-45  ;  linseed  oil,  76.  and  lard,  23-27. — Dr.  F. 
Gautter  [Ztsclir.  f.  anal,  cliem.)  Sudd.  Apotheker  Ztg.,  1893,  133, 
I45  and  265. 
Headine,  a  secret  preparation,  was  found  to  consist  of  68-73  Per 
cent,  acetanilide  and  31-57  per  cent,  sodium  bicarbonate. — Dr.  A. 
Schneider,  Pharm.  Ccntvallialle,  1893,  364- 
Spiegler  s  albumen  reagent  has  been  modified  so  that  it  is  even  a 
more  delicate  test  for  albumen  detecting  1  in  350,000.  Its  compo- 
sition :  .Mercuric  chloride,  20;  tartaric  acid,  I-O;  distilled  water, 
50  0  and  glycerin,  5  o — hharm.  Centralhalle,  1893,  424- 
Pure  amylene  (Peutal)  is  obtainable  by  a  patented  process  as  fol- 
lows :  Tertiary  amyl  alcohol  is  heated  on  a  water-bath  with  an 
organic  acid,  like  citric,  tartaric  or  better  than  these  with  oxalic 
acid;"the  acid  is  heated  to  60-90°  and  the  alcohol  allowed  to  run 
in  in  a  steady  stream  ;  the  decomposition  is  effected  at  once,  the 
amylene  distilling  off  and  carrying  with  it  the  greater  part  of  the 
water.  The  residual  oxalic  acid  can  be  used  repeatedly ;  the  amy- 
lene after  washing  and  fractioning  has  a  constant  boiling  point  of 
3 8°,  and  is  perfectly  free  from  amyl  alcohol,  foreign  hydrocarbons, 
etc.,  being  especially  suitable  for  therapeutic  uses. — P/iarm.  Central- 
halle,  1893,  431. 
Tkioform,  a  substitute  for  iodoform,  is  a  basic  bismuth  dithio- 
salicylate ;  attention  is  called  to  it  in  the  treatment  of  ulcers  and 
diseases  of  the  eye  and  skin. — Pharm.  Ztg.,  1893,  426. 
