55  2  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {Ami5ovr;Sarm* 
For  a  menthol  dentifrice,  the  Ann,  di  Chim.  e  di  Farm.  ( through 
Rep.  de  Pharm.,  Sept.,  1893,  P-  4r3)  gives  the  following  formula: 
Flowers  of  sulphur,  25  gm.;  magnesium  carbonate,  25  gm.;  menthol, 
1  gm.;  cochineal,  50  cgm.;  glycerin,  a  sufficient  quantity. 
Solution  against  insect  bites. — The  following  formula  is  published 
by  the  Jour,  de  Pharm.  et  de  Chim. :  Ammonia  water,  3  gm.;  collo- 
dion, 1  gm.,  and  salicylic  acid,  10  cgm.  One  drop  to  be  applied  to 
each  spot  affected. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  Frank  X.  Moerk,  Ph.G. 
The  pepper  constituent  to  which  the  sharp  taste  is  due  is  the 
piperine ;  this  substance  is  not  tasteless  as  generally  accepted,  but  by 
prolonged  contact  with  the  tongue  develops  the  sharp  taste  which 
can  be  better  demonstrated  by  tasting  a  piperine  solution  warmed  to 
500  C;  in  the  pepper  fruit  the  piperine  is  dissolved  in  the  essential 
oil,  hence  the  decreased  sharpness  of  old  pepper  is  explainable  by 
the  resinification  of  the  essential  oil  causing  decreased  solubility  of 
the  piperine.  The  essential  oil  has  the  odor  of  the  fruit,  but  in 
alcoholic  solution  is  free  from  any  sharp  taste.  As  an  oxidation 
product  of  the  essential  oil,  in  part  at  least,  is  a  viscid  unsaponifi- 
able  oil  which  also  dissolves  piperine,  but  itself  is  free  from  odor 
and  taste.  In  addition  to  these  three  constituents  pepper  contains 
cellulose,  starch  and  small  quantities  of  coloring  matter. — Th. 
Weigle,  Pharm.  Ztg.,  1893,  5S4. 
Basic  organic  bismuth  salts  can  be  made  by  taking  advantage  of 
the  solubility  of  bismuth  chloride  in  a  25  per  cent,  solution  of 
sodium  chloride  or  other  alkaline  chloride  and  adding  the  organic 
acid  to  this  solution.  Basic  bismuth  gallate :  100  gm.  bismuth 
chloride  are  dissolved  in  1,800  gm.  sodium  chloride  solution  (25  per 
cent.),  filtered,  400  gm.  gallic  acid  added,  boiled  for  20  minutes, 
replacing  the  evaporated  water,  and  pouring  into  an  excess  of  water 
sufficient  to  retain  in  solution  the  excess  of  gallic  acid  ;  the  precipitate 
is  washed  and  dried  ;  the  product  contains  49-2-50  per  cent,  .bis- 
muth and  corresponds  to  the  formula  C6H2(OH)3COOBi(OH)2. 
Basic  bismuth  pyrogallate :  150  gm.  pyrogallol  are  dissolved  in 
650  gm.  and  316  gm.  bismuth  chloride  are  dissolved  in  1,000  gm. 
solution  of  sodium  chloride  (25  per  cent.);  the  filtered  solutions  are 
mixed,  heated  for  one-half  hour  in  a  water-bath  and  poured  into 
