Am'Feb.yi89iarm'}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  95 
Detection  of  resorcin  and  thymol. — In  a  test  tube  are  mixed 
potassium  or  sodium  nitrite,  gypsum  and  sodium  bisulphate  in 
approximately  equal  quantities  ;  these  are  moistened  with  water  and 
the  solution  to  be  tested  added  and  heat  applied.  In  the  presence 
of  thymol  the  mixture  becomes  chrome-red  in  color  ;  in  the  pres- 
ence of  resorcin  chrome-green,  while  in  the  upper  part  of  the  tube 
are  to  be  noticed  bright-red  drops.  The  mixtures  must  preserve 
their  acid  reactions.  These  tests  are  very  delicate  and  permanent 
for  considerable  time.  Attention  is  also  called  to  the  pleasant  fruity 
odor  of  the  thymol-nitrite. — H.  Borntrager  (Ztschr.f  analyt.  Chemie) 
Pharm.  Ztg.,  1890,  768. 
Sulphaldehyde  C2H4S,  obtained  by  the  action  of  hydrogen  sulphide 
upon  acetaldehyde,  forms  an  oily  liquid  of  disagreeable  odor,  solidi- 
fying at  — 8°  C,  melting  again  at  — 2°  C.  Treatment  with  acids  poly- 
merizesthe  preparation,  a  solid  trisulphaldehyde  (or  thioparaldehyde) 
of  the  formula  (C2H4S)3  resulting.  Some  of  the  obtainable  commer- 
cial preparations  are  mixtures  of  aldehyde  and  thioparaldehyde 
(Trommsdorff)  boiling  at  45-500  C.  It  is  more  energetic  than 
paraldehyde,  although  its  action  at  first  is  slower,  owing  to  its 
insolubility. — Pharm.  Ztg.y  1890,  761. 
Antipyrine ;  new  method  of  preparation. — According  to  Dr. 
Knorr's  patent,  antipyrine  is  made  by  the  condensation  of  ethylic 
aceto-acetate  and  phenylhydrazine  and  methylating  the  condensa- 
tion product.  C.  F.  Bbhringer  &  Son  have  patented  a  process  in 
which  /3-halogenbutyric  acid  or  its  ethers  are  condensed  with  phenyl- 
hydrazine,  the  resulting  methyl-phenylpyrazine  changed  by  weak 
oxidizing  agents,  like  mercuric  oxide,  into  dehydromethyl-phenyl- 
hydrazine  which  finally,  by  methylating,  is  converted  into  dehydro- 
dimethyl-phenylhydrazine=dimethylphenylpyrazolon  or  antip)'rine. 
The  preparation  crystallizes  from  toluol  in  beautiful  plates,  which 
have  the  melting  point  1 130  C,  are  easily  soluble  in  water  and  alcohol ; 
in  dilute,  acidulated  solutions,  sodium  nitrite  produces  a  beautiful 
emerald  green  color.  These  reactions  would  indicate  the  identity 
of  the  two  preparations. — (Sudd.  Apoth.  Ztg.)  Pharm.  Ztg.  1890, 
784. 
Ceratum  flavum  salicylatum. — 2  0  powdered  salicylic  acid  are 
triturated  with  5-0  expressed  oil  of  almonds  and  added  to  a  melted 
cerate  consisting  of  62-0  expressed  oil  of  almonds  and  310  yellow 
wax ;  heat  is  applied  until  the  salicylic  acid  dissolves,  then  the 
