550  Abstracts  from  the  French  Journals.  {Amn2™;wtm' 
The  rapid  detection  of  tin}  in  salt  solutions,  even  in  presence  of 
iron,  copper,  or  other  reducing  substance,  is  effected  by  G.  Deniges, 
by  means  of  a  molybdo-sulphuric  solution  (molybdate  of  ammonium, 
iogm.;  distilled  water,  100  cc;  pure  sulphuric  acid,  IOO  cc).  Sev- 
eral drops  of  the  suspected  solution  are  placed  on  a  platinum  dish 
with  one  drop  of  sulphuric  acid,  and  a  piece  of  zinc  is  placed  on  the 
platinum  in  contact  with  the  liquid ;  after  one  or  two  minutes  the 
zinc  is  removed,  the  dish  washed  under  a  thin  stream  of  water, 
allowed  to  drain,  and  if  a  metallic  stain  is  found  on  the  platinum,  at 
the  place  of  contact  with  the  zinc,  it  is  wetted  with  4  or  5  drops  of 
hydrochloric  acid,  and  evaporated  to  complete  dryness.  Several 
drops  of  water  are  now  placed  on  the  dry  residue  for  several  minutes, 
and  one  or  two  drops  of  the  liquid  so  obtained  are  added  to  2  or  3 
cc.  of  the  molybdo-sulphuric  solution,  when  an  instantaneous  blue 
coloration  will  show  that  tin  is  present  in  the  solution  examined. — 
Bull,  de  la  Soc.  de  Pharm.  de  Bordeaux,  September,  1893,  P-  286. 
Fluid  extract  of  digitalis  has  been  admitted  into  the  Danish 
iPharmacopceia,  which  has  recently  made  its  appearance,  and  accord- 
ing to  Et.  Fayn  (Jour,  de  Pharm.  d'Anvers,  August,  1893,  P-  29^)> 
figures  for  the  first  time  in  any  European  pharmacopoeia.  The 
Pharmacopoeia  directs  the  maceration  for  two  hours  of  1,000  p.  digi- 
talis leaves  with  50  p.  glycerin  and  450  p.  dilute  alcohol,  percolation 
with  6,000  p.  dilute  alcohol,  and  then  distillation  on  a  vapor  bath, 
until  not  more  than  1,000  p.  remain;  the  extract  is  then  diluted 
with  2,000  p.  water,  evaporated  to  1,500  p.,  filtered  and  again  sub- 
mitted to  evaporation  to  500  p.,  to  which  500  p.  alcohol  are  added 
to  obtain  1,000  p.  by  weight.  The  extract  is  of  a  dark  green  color, 
and  yields  on  the  addition  of  50  p.  water  a  yellowish  green  limpid 
liquid.  The  maximum  dose  is  given  as  o- 10-0*50  gm.  Unless 
otherwise  specified  by  the  physician,  an  infusion  of  digitalis  may 
be  dispensed  by  adding  water  to  the  above  extract  in  the  required 
proportion. 
Syrup  of  tolu  balsam,  if  kept  for  several  months,  exhibits  altera- 
tion in  both  odor  and  taste.  M.  Ausaldy  (U  Union  Pharm.,  Sept., 
1893,  p.  425)  heats  such  an  altered  syrup  to  violent  ebullition 
(above  ioo°  C),  when  a  disengagement  of  gas  takes  place,  more  or 
less  abundant  according  to  the  degree  of  alteration  ;  upon  cooling 
the  aromatic  taste,  although  not  very  pronounced,  will  be  found  to 
