28o       Recent  Literature  Relating  to  Pharmacy.  {^m'J^\\m?m' 
Its  specific  gravity  varies  from  0-8743  to  0-8802,  it  is  dextrogyre, 
neutral,  sulphur-free,  scarcely  soluble  in  water  and  sparingly  in  93 
per  cent,  alcohol. 
DECOLORIZING  REDDENED  CARBOLIC  WATER. 
H.  Barth  (Schweiz.  Wochenschr.  fur  Chem.  und  Pharm.,  1898,  581) 
recites  the  inconvenience  of  reddened  carbolic  acid  and  the  com- 
parative uselessness  of  suggested  remedies.  He  finds  that  the  color 
can  be  removed  from  a  5  per  cent,  solution  by  means  of  common 
wool  (Berlin  zephyr).  Three  grammes  of  this  placed  in  a  litre  of 
the  solution  of  phenol  removes  all  trace  of  color,  becoming  dyed 
itself.  Unfortunately,  this  simple  remedy  does  not  avail  with  95 
per  cent.  acid.  H.  V.  A. 
A  NEW  BISMUTH  REACTION.  ' 
Pollacci  (Ph.  Post,  1898,  509)  finds  that  bismuth  compounds,  in 
the  presence  of  bromine,  or  moistened  with  concentrated  hydro- 
chloric acid,  give  a  green  flame  differing  from  that  of  copper,  boron 
or  thallium,  by  being  pure  green  below,  blue-green  above  and  blue- 
white  at  the  tip.  H.  V.  A. 
DETECTION  OF  EXCESS  OF  SOLANINE  IN  POTATOES. 
Schnell  (Ap.  Zt.t  1898,  775)  reports  a  wholesale  poisoning  case 
at  the  Strasburg  garrison,  which  was  traced  to  potatoes  furnished 
as  food.  These  potatoes  assayed  0-24  pro  mille  solanine,  when 
cooked,  and  0  38  pro  mille  when  raw  ;  whereas  normal  potatoes 
contain  only  0-06  to  0  064  pro  mille.  Examination  showed  small 
dots  (evidently  fungi)  on  the  sliced  potatoes,  and  it  was  found  that 
the  spotted  portions  assayed  on  an  average  one-third  more  solanine 
than  the  healthy  portions  ;  hence  the  author  concludes  that  the 
fungi  influences  the  development  of  solanine  and  urges  the  rejec- 
tion of  any  potatoes  bearing  gray  spots  on  the  interior. 
H.  V.  A. 
A  NEW  ADULTERANT  OF  OIL  OF  ROSE. 
Dietz  (Suddeutsch.  Ap.  Zt.,  1898,  672)  received  from  his  Bulgarian 
agent  a  sample  of  a  new  mixture  utilized  as  adulterant  by  the  oil 
producers  of  that  section. 
It  is  of  the  consistency  of  ointment  at  150,  and  is  not  a  trans- 
