132  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {ArVa°i"h,?S)i!'m* 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  Frank  X.  Moerk,  Ph.G. 
Ichthyol-preparations,  which  can  be  removed  by  washing  with 
water,  are  proposed  by  Unna  {Monatsh.  f.  Derm.  1891,  No.  2): 
Ichthyol  40,  starch  40,  cold  water  20,  saturated  albumen  solution 
1—1*5  5  the  starch  is  moistened  with  the  water,  the  ichthyol  care- 
fully incorporated  and  lastly  the  albumen  solution  added.  The  last 
addition  is  made  to  preyent  the  deposition  of  the  starch. 
Iclitliyol  with  carbolic  acid:  Ichthyol  25,  carbolic  acid  2-5,  starch 
50,  water  22  5;  the  first  two  ingredients  are  dissolved  in  the  water 
with  the  aid  of  a  gentle  heat,  allowed  to  cool  and  the  starch  incorpo- 
rated.— Pharm.  Ccntrallialle,  1 891,  70. 
Hungarian  Opium. — Dr.  A.  Deir  obtained  (by  the  method  oY 
Terier  and  Fliickiger)  from  340  capsules  sixteen  grams  opium 
(dried  over  H2S04) ;  it  appeared  as  a  light-brown,  brittle  mass, 
resembling  lactucarium,  of  much  stronger  odor  than  the  Asiatic 
opium.  A  qualitative  examination  after  Dragendorff  revealed 
the  presence  of  morphine,  narcotine,  codeine,  narceine,  thebaine 
and  meconic  acid ;  meconine  was  not  found.  Water  extracted 
66-64  Per  cent- ;  the  morphine,  by  Fluckiger-Squibb's  process, 
equalled  16-24  Per  cent. — Rundschau,  1 891,  67. 
To  remove  paint  and  varnishes,  which  resist  the  action  of  strong  lye, 
Dr.  Stockmeier  recommends  a  mixture  of  water  of  ammonia,  two 
parts,  and  turpentine,  one  part ;  this  applied  to  the  surface  to  be 
cleaned  will,  after  a  few  minutes'  action,  enable  the  paint  to  be 
removed  by  use  of  cotton  waste  or  similar  material. — {Bayr.  Gen. 
Ztg.),  Rundschau,  1891,  72. 
Reaction  of  cocaine  hydrochlorate. — This  alkaloidal  salt,  if  mixed 
with  a  small  quantity  of  calomel  and  then  moistened  with  water  or 
simply  breathed  upon,  gives  rise  to  a  blackening  of  the  mixture.  This 
property  is  noticeable  also  under  some  conditions  with  pure  atro- 
pine ;  in  this  case  heat  is  necessary,  or  a  mixture  of  alcohol  and 
water  to  produce  the  blackening ;  cold  water  or  breathing  upon 
such  a  mixture  will  not  develop  the  coloration.  The  alkaloid 
cocaine  does  not  give  this  test,  but  only  its  hydrochlorate. — E. 
Schell  [Els.-Lothr.  Journ.  d.  Pharm),  Pharm.  Ztg.,  1891,  55. 
The  detection  of  resin  in  beeswax  is  best  effected  by  E. 
Schmidt's  modification  of  Donath's  test :  5  grams  of  the  wax  are 
heated  for  one  minute  to  the  boiling  point  with  4-5  times  its 
