282       Recent  Literature  Relating  to  Pharmacy.  {Amju0ner;]89b9arm" 
tain  two  forms  of  chromogene — one  oxidizing  to  black  under  the 
influence  of  Russula  extract ;  the  other  under  simple  influence  of 
air— and  a  search  for  the  bodies  was  started. 
A  95  per  cent,  alcoholic  extract  of  500  grammes  green  pods 
was  evaporated  to  30  c.c,  and  to  this  was  added  25  c.c.  absolute 
alcohol.  This  caused  the  separation  of  a  mass  of  crystals,  which, 
after  careful  washing,  was  subjected  to  chemical  and  microscopical 
examination  and  proved  to  be  tyrosin. 
Tyrosin  solutions  blacken  under  the  influence  of  Russula  ex- 
tract, but  not  on  simple  exposure  to  air ;  so  the  authors  conclude 
that  the  blackening  of  the  soup  is  due  to  a  ferment  not  yet  iso- 
lated. 
From  the  filtrate  from  the  tyrosin  crystals,  the*  writers  sepa- 
rated leucin  and  asparagin ;  but  whether  these  'play  any  role  in 
the  blackening  process  is  not  clear.  H.  V,  A. 
MEDICATED  GAUZES. 
Turinski  (Zcitschr.  der  allg.  Oest.  Ap.  Verein,  1898,  842)  discusses 
Schacherl's  article  on  medicated  gauze  (see  this  Journal,  1899,  89), 
calling  attention  to  a"  general  error  in  estimating  percentage  on  the 
weight  of  the  gauze  alone,  without  reference  to  the  liquid  serving 
as  "  fixer." 
He  shows  that  a  so-called  10  per  cent,  iodoform  gauze— contain- 
ing 18  grammes  to  180  grammes  dry  gauze — usually  contains  3.2 
grammes  glycerin  and  that  the  amount  of  iodoform  representing  a 
true  10  per  cent,  would  be  23-555  grammes.  He  gives  several  such 
examples,  all  prepared  by  himself,  unfortunately  without  proving 
such  method  prevails  in  the  manufacture  of  commercial  gauzes. 
In  making  gauzes  he  finds  95  per  cent,  alcohol  the  best  saturating 
medium.  Regarding  "  fixers,"  he  states  that  such  are  wholly  unneces- 
sary, when  the  antiseptic  is  soluble  in  alcohol  or  present  in  minute 
quantities.  For  insoluble  bodies,  like  iodoform,  they  are  essential, 
and  he  recommends,  after  much  experimentation,  glycerin. 
H.  V.  A. 
OIL  OF  CADE. 
In  searching  oil  of  cade  for  the  terpene,  cadinene,  Troeger  and 
Feldmann  (Arch.  d.  Pharm.,  1898,  692)  found  it  present  only  in  small 
quantities;  the  chief  constituent  of  the  oil  appearing  to  be  a  sesqui- 
terpene, which  was  optically  inactive  and  boiled  at  250°-26o°  C. 
H.  V.  A. 
