20  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {Am,jan.!'iS.arnu 
is  applied  by  means  of  a  brush  after  having  removed  any  grease  by 
rubbing  with  a  clean,  dry  cloth  :  100  gm.  stannic  chloride  are  dis- 
solved in  one  liter  water,  this  solution  is  next  added  to  one  con- 
taining 2-5  gm.  tartaric  acid  dissolved  in  one  liter  water,  and,  finally, 
adding  20  cc.  indigo  solution  diluted  with  two  liters  of  water.  After 
allowing  the  solution  to  act  upon  the  stain  for  a  few  seconds,  it  is 
rubbed  clean  with  first  a  moist  cloth,  later  with  a  dry  cloth  ;  to 
restore  the  polish,  use  is  made  of  silver  sand. — Patent  of  A.  Bucher, 
Pharm.  Centralhalle,  1890,  672. 
Piperazidine,  C4H10N2  (prepared  synthetically  by  Die  Chem.  Fab- 
rik  auf  Actien,  formerly  E.  Schering),  identical  in  composition  with 
spermme,  has  not  proven  identical  in  physiological  action.  It,  how- 
ever, possesses  the  property  of  dissolving  large  quantities  of  urates, 
and  is  likely  to  be  of  service  in  dissolving  urate  concretions  if 
applied  subcutaneously.  Its  solvent  power  for  uric  acid  exceeds 
twelve  times  that  of  lithium  carbonate  and  it  has  the  advantages  of 
being  soluble  in  almost  all  proportions  of  water,  and  not  poisonous 
or  caustic. — Pliarm.  Centralhalle,  1890,  714. 
The  iodine  test  for  peppermint  oil  of  the  German  and  Russian 
pharmacopoeias,  in  which  an  adulteration  with  turpentine  oil  is 
indicated  by  a  rise  in  temperature  or  by  slight  detonation,  has 
been  examined  by  E.  Hirschsohn,  who  finds  that  all  peppermint  oils 
produce  with  iodine  an  increase  in  temperature,  and  that  to  cause 
detonation  at  least  40  per  cent,  turpentine  oil  would  have  to  be 
present,  smaller  quantities  not  being  indicated. — Pharm.  Ztschr.  f 
Russland,  1890,  708. 
A  good  soap  for  removing  stains  can  be  made,  according  to  the 
Pharm.  Zeitung,  by  rubbing  together  30  parts  each  of  borax  and 
quillaia  extract  (made  by  exhausting  the  ground  bark  with  boiling 
water  and  evaporating  to  syrupy  consistence  ;    100  parts  bark 
usually  yield  20  parts  extract)  and  adding  120  parts  fresh  ox-gall  ; 
this  mixture  is  then  incorporated  with  450  parts  melted  soap  and 
the  mass  poured  into  suitable  containers, 
f 
Extr actum  cinchona  liquidum. — M.  C.  Traub,  in  the  Schzveizer- 
ische  Wochenschnft  fur  Pharmacte,  1890,  377,  publishes  an 
improved  method  for  making  this  extract  proposed  by  De  Vrij, 
which  consists  in  macerating  for  two  days  the  powdered  cinchona 
