Am■Ju0ly1!'l89lflm,}  Abstracts  from  the  French  Journals.  349 
acid,  the  excess  of  the  acid  neutralized  by  lead  carbonate,  the  mix^ 
ture  filtered,  the  filtrate  evaporated  to  dryness,  the  residue  dissolved 
in  boiling  absolute  alcohol,  four  volumes  of  chloroform  added,  the 
precipitate  removed  and  the  filtrate  mixed  with  ether  until  precipi- 
tation ceases;  this  precipitate,  dried  over  sulphuric  acid,  corresponds 
with  quillaic  and  polygalic  acid.  It  is  soluble  in  water,  dilute 
alcohol  and  boiling  absolute  alcohol ;  the  aqueous  solution  has  an 
acid  reaction,  foams  strongly  and  reduces  Fehling's  solution  after 
boiling  with  dilute  acids ;  it  has  a  sharp,  acrid  taste. 
The  filtrate  from  the  lead  acetate  precipitate  is  precipitated  with 
basic  acetate  of  lead  and  the  precipitate  purified  as  above,  avoiding, 
however,  the  use  of  chloroform  ;  by  repeatedly  dissolving  in  hot 
alcohol  and  precipitating  with  ether,  and  drying  over  sulphuric  acid 
a  yellowish  powder  was  obtained  identical  with  sapotoxin  and 
senegin.  It  is  easily  soluble  in  water,  dilute  alcohol,  also  in  hot 
absolute  alcohol ;  the  aqueous  solution  is  neutral,  foams  strongly, 
reduces  Fehling's  solution  after  boiling  with  acid,  and  gives  a  precipi- 
tate with  basic  lead  acetate  which  is  soluble  in  acetic  acid. — Journ. 
Pharm.  von  hls.-Lothr.y  1891,  171. 
ABSTRACTS  FROM  THE  FRENCH  JOURNALS. 
Translated  for  the  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy. 
Preparation  of  Tinctures. — M.  Vauthier,  a  Paris  pharmacist, 
describes,  in  the  Repert.  de  Phar.  of  May  10th,  a  simple  apparatus  for 
the  above  purpose.  It  consists  of  a  wide-mouthed  jar  into  the  opening 
of  which  is  inserted  a  smaller  jar  whose  bottom  is  pierced  with 
small  holes,  the  perforated  portion  falling  far  enough  below  the 
shoulder  of  the  larger  jar  as  to  become  fairly  well  immersed  in  the 
alcohol  with  which  the  latter  is  filled,  the  smaller  jar  having 
previously  received  the  iodine  or  resin  to  be  dissolved ;  the  charged 
portion  of  the  solution  goes  to  the  bottom  of  the  jar,  leaving  the 
unsaturated  portion  of  the  alcohol  always  in  contact  with  the  drug, 
thus  insuring  very  rapid  dissolution.  Excellent  results  are  also 
obtained  in  the  preparation  of  many  other  tinctures.  An  advantage 
of  the  apparatus  lies  in  the  fact  that  it  is  not  necessary  to  watch  or 
handle  it  until  the  solution  is  completed.1 
1  During  the  past  fifty  years  this  process  of  circulatory  displacement  has  been 
frequently  described  and  recommended.— See  Amer.  Jour.  Phar.  viii,  89  ;  xvi, 
313  ;  xxii,  380  ;  xxiv,  318  ;  xxvi,  17,  etc. — Editor. 
