Amjml1ej89iaim'}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  287 
the  formula  C16H1607 ;  the  aloin  from  Aloe  hepatica  Natal  melts  at 
2  io°  C.  (with  decomposition)  and  has  the  probable  formula  C24H26O10. 
G.  Balster  finds  that  the  first-two  mentioned  aloins  are  reliable  laxa- 
tives, administered  either  in  pill  form  (with  extract  of  liquorice)  or 
by  subcutaneous  injections  (in  formamide  solution).  Nataloin 
administered  to  dogs  and  cats  is  not  reliable  unless  given  in  dispro- 
portionately large  doses,  with  the  addition  of  alkalies,  however 
small  doses  will  suffice  ;  administered  to  man,  nataloin,  even  with 
alkalies,  is  inactive  except  in  such  cases  where  only  a  meat-diet  is 
followed.  Aloin  is  always  eliminated  in  the  faeces,  seldom  in  the 
urine. 
For  the  detection  of  aloin,  Klunge's  cupraloin  reaction  (Am. 
Journ.  Pharm.,  1890,  86)  or  a  new  piperidine  test  was  used;  the 
latter  test  will  also  distinguish  between  barbaloin  and  nataloin. 
The  addition  of  a  drop  of  piperidine  to  a  nataloin  solution  produces 
a  violet-red  to  a  deep  blue  color,  depending  upon  the  quantity  of 
nataloin  ;  barbaloin  in  the  same  manner  produces  only  a  yellow 
color,  by  acidifying  with  acetic  acid  and  agitation  with  acetic  ether 
the  latter  will  remove  the  yellow  coloring  matter  (unchanged  aloin), 
while  the  aqueous  solution  will  show  the  violet-red  color.  These 
two  tests  succeed  with  0  001  per  cent,  nataloin  and  001  per  cent, 
barbaloin. — {Arch.  f.  exp.  Path.  u.  Pharmakol.)  Apotheker  Ztg.y 
1891,  214. 
Adulterated  Carmine. — E.  Donath,  in  examining  commercial  car- 
mine, found  one  sample  to  consist  of  mixed  lead  oxide- and  alumina- 
lakes  of  eosine  with  considerable  lead  sulphate,  it  was  insoluble  in 
ammonia  ;  the  aqueous  extract  showed  the  characteristic  fluorescence 
of  dilute  eosine  solutions.  This  sample  was  called"  carmin  ordinar," 
and  had  the  appearance  of  an  inferior  product.  A  second  sample,  sold 
under  the  name  of  "  carmin  antik,"  could  hardly  be  distinguished  from 
genuine  carmine  ;  it  was  largely  soluble  in  ammonia  and  consisted 
of  the  barium  compound  of  red  corallin,  leaving  nearly  75  per  cent, 
barium  carbonate  upon  ignition  ;  such  a  preparation  could  be  made 
by  adding  to  barium  chloride  solution  commercial-  red  corallin  dis- 
solved in  water,  filtering  and  slowly  drying  the  precipitate. — 
Ch  e  in  zker  Ztg . ,  1891,  522. 
Phthalic  Acid  is  now  made  commercially  by  oxidizing  naphtha- 
lene with  a  chromic  acid  mixture  containing  sodium  chromate 
instead  of  potassium  bichromate.    The  yield  is  a  very  satisfactory 
