AmNov.?i893arm'}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  555 
difficulty.  A  method  proposed  by  Hairs  is  quite  easy :  The  mixture 
obtained  from  the  ethereal  solution  is  dissolved  in  water  acidulated 
with  hydrochloric  acid  and  the  salicylic  acid  precipitated  completely 
as  brom-salicylic  acid  by  adding  bromine  water,  agitating,  filtering, 
expelling  the  bromine  from  the  filtrate  by  a  current  of  air,  extracting 
with  ether  and  evaporating  after  adding  a  few  drops  of  a  sodium 
bicarbonate  solution ;  the  residue  has  the  intense  sweet  taste  of 
saccharin  and  after  fusion  with  potassium  hydrate  will  give  the  test 
for  salicylic  acid  which  has  been  produced  in  the  decomposition  of 
saccharin. — (Journ.  d.  Pharm.  d'  Anvers)  Apotheker  Ztg.,  1893,  5°°- 
The  spontaneous  ignition  of  lupulin  is  reported  from  Bremen. 
On  one  of  the  trans-atlantic  steamers  just  about  ready  to  sail  smoke 
was  seen  to  issue  from  a  box  ;  upon  opening,  to  see  the  cause,  the 
material,  lupulin,  burst  into  flame.  The  lupulin  had  been  sent  from 
some  part  of  Bavaria  and  was  to  be  shipped  to  this  country.  The 
unconsumed  portion  was  found  to  be  thoroughly  caked,  due  to  the 
presence  of  moisture  and  thus  furnishes  the  cause  of  the  ignition  : 
a  material,  rich  in  oil;  moisture;  large  quantity  and  considerable 
time  of  storage  by  which  the  heat  generated  by  the  slow  oxidation 
of  the  oil,  was  so  much  increased  that  it  reached  the  ignition  tem- 
perature.— Sudd.  Apotheker  Ztg.,  1893,  466. 
Lignin  color  test. — Lignin  chemically  belonging  to  the  class  of 
aldehydes  led  Dr.  E.  Nickel  to  test  its  behavior  towards  phenylhydra- 
zine.  The  wood  to  be  tested  is  moistened  with  an  aqueous  solution 
of  phenylhydrazine  hydrochlorate ;  the  wood  takes  a  yellow  color 
which  is  intensified  by  the  addition  of  dilute  hydrochloric  acid ;  in 
the  course  of  an  hour's  standing  the  yellow  color  of  some  woods  is 
changed  to  a  pure  green,  others  require  longer  standing. — Chemikcr 
Ztg.,  1893,  I2°9- 
The  detection  of  lead  salts  in  drinking  water  succeeds  very  well  if 
manipulated  as  follows  :  One  liter  of  the  water  and  five  cc.  of  glacial 
acetic  acid  are  evaporated  to  100  cc,  filtered  and  1-2  drops  of  a 
diluted  hydrogen  sulphide  solution  (1  part  saturated  solution  with 
2  parts  distilled  water)  added  ;  the  presence  of  lead  salts  causes  a 
brown  coloration  which  is  to  be  compared  with  the  result  gained  with 
a  water  known  to  be  free  from  lead.  It  is  possible  by  this  procedure 
to  detect  0-05  mg.  lead  in  100  cc.  water.  By  comparison  with  very 
dilute  solutions  of  known  strength  the  lead  may  be  approximately 
estimated. — Prof.  M.  T.  Lecco,  Chemiker  Ztg.,  1893,  143 1 . 
