X 
Notes  and  News. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\      March,  18S9. 
been  excellent  and  who  had  taken  pills  of  diachylon  for  the  avowed  purpose  of 
bringing  on  a  miscarriage.  Some  days  before  the  fatal  issue  she  had  com- 
plained of  the  "use  "  leaving  one  of  her  hands.  Subsequently  she  was  seized 
with  violent  cramps  and  pains,  writhing  in  agony,  with  blood  running  from 
her  mouth,  and  she  never  rallied. 
Assay  of  Senega. — Ed.  Kremers  and  Martha  M.  James  {Pharm.  Rev., 
1898,  p.  45)  show  that  the  fact  that  methyl  salicylate  can  be  obtained  from 
most  samples  of  senega  root  by  distillation  with  steam  is  not  a  satisfactory 
criterion  in  testing  for  this  drug.  Samples  known  to  have  been  false 
senega  yielded  the  salicylate,  while  some  true  senegas  did  not.  The  authors 
point  out  the  fact  that  the  addition  of  acid  in  the  distillation  increases  the  yield 
of  methyl  salicylate,  which  is  evidence  that  this  ester  is  a  product  of  hydro- 
lysis, perhaps  of  a  glucoside. 
Action  of  Hydrogen  on  Acids. — Berthelot  has  shown  that  hydrogen 
has  no  action  upon  sulphuric  acid  at  the  ordinary  temperature.  If  both  are 
heated  together  for  six  hours,  at  a  temperature  of  2500  C.  the  reaction  is  the 
following  : 
H2SO,  +  H2  =  2H20  +  S02. 
Upon  sulphurous  acid  as  well  as  nitric  acid  containing  water,  hydrogen  has  no 
action  either  at  the  ordinary  temperature  or  when  heated  to  ioo°-28o°. — 
Comp.  rend.,  1898,  p.  743. 
Adulteration  of  Extract  Secalis  CornuTi. — Italo  Cepellini  finds  that 
Succus  Sambuci  may  be  added  to  extract  secalis  cornuti  to  the  amount  of  30 
per  cent,  before  it  is  detected  by  the  trimethylamine  test  on  adding  potassium 
carbonate,  or  may  be  observed  either  by  taste  or  odor  in  the  aqueous  or  alco- 
holic solutions.— L  'Orosz  through  Pharm.  Zeit.,  1898,  p.  364. 
Somatose  Preparations. — The  following  is  a  new  manner  of  preparing 
solutions  of  somatose,  ferro-somatose  and  lacto-somatose. 
Place  the  powder  on  the  surface  of  one-quarter  to  one-half  glassful  of  hot 
water,  and  allow  the  fluid  to  stand  undisturbed  (without  stirring)  for  about 
fifteen  minutes,  when  a  complete  solution  will  have  been  effected.  Then,  if 
desired,  add  to  broth,  soups,  milk,  beer,  etc. 
Adulteration"  of  Sicilian  Sumach. — In  an  investigation  on  the  leaves 
of  those  plants  which  are  employed  for  the  adulteration  of  Sicilian  sumach 
{Rhus  coriaria)  R.  G.  Perkin  and  P.  J.  Wood  {Chem.  News,  1898,  p.  208) 
describe  the  following  : 
(1)  Shinia  leaves  {Pistacia  lentiscus)  contain  11 '3  per  cent,  of  tannin.  Two 
tannins  appear  to  be  present,  one  yields  gallotannic  acid  and  the  other 
forms  a  poison  with  alkali,  acetic  acid,  phloroglucinol  and  gallic  acid.  The 
coloring  matter  has  the  formula  C15H10O8,  and  crystallizes  in  colorless  needles, 
having  a  M.  P.  204°-2o6°.  It  is  identical  with  myricetin,  the  coloring 
matter  of  Rhus  coriaria.  The  leaves  of  Ailanthus  glandulosa  contain  quer- 
cetin  and  11.9  per  cent,  of  tannin.  This  is  a  mixture  of  ellagitaunin  and  gallo- 
tannin,  and  a  worthless  tanning  agent.  The  leaves  of  Ficus  carica  contain  a 
coloring  principle  resembling  quercetin.  The  tannin  is  small  in  amount,  being 
i*6  per  cent. 
