Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Aug.,  1891. 
}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  403 
Schlagdenhauffen  and  Reeb  [Jour,  de  Phar.  dy Als.-Lorr.,  June, 
1 891),  this  glucoside  appears  in  amber  colored  plaques,  very  soluble 
in  water,  less  soluble  in  alcohol,  and  of  a  very  bitter  taste.  It  can- 
not be  obtained  in  crystals.  It  contains  no  nitrogen  and  appears  to 
belong  to  the  digitalin  group.  Like  the  latter,  it  is  very  toxic  and 
a  "  heart  poison  ;  "  it  arrests  that  organ  in  systole.  It  is  sensitive  to 
sulphuric  acid,  with  which  it  gives  a  brown  coloration.  But,  as 
other  organic  substances  give  the  same  reaction,  this  acid  can  only 
be  considered  as  sufficient  to  detect  the  presence  of  coronillin  in 
alimentary  substances.  A  characteristic  reaction  is  the  red  colora- 
tion obtained  by  treatment  with  nitric  acid  to  which  cupric  chloride 
has  been  added.  With  this,  the  quantity  of  -00025  gm.  may  be 
detected. 
Thymolacetate  of  Mercury. — Loewenthal's  formula  for  intramus- 
cular injections  in  syphilis  was  given  (Dent.  Med.  Woch)  as  follows  : 
Thymolacetate  of  mercury,  I  gm.;  glycerin,  10  gm.;  hydrochlorate 
of  cocaine,  10  cgm.  Dr.  Tranjen  (Repert.  de  Phar.,  June  10)  is  using 
this  substance  in  the  same  way  for  tuberculosis,  the  formula  being  : 
Thymolacetate  of  mercury,  75  cgm.;  liquid  vaselin,  10  gm.  The 
injection — which  is  not  painful — is  made  every  8  or  10  days.  After 
having  given  two  or  three  injections,  the  doctor  gives  iodide  of 
potassium  internally.  Its  action  is  beneficial  in  proportion  to  the 
promptness  with  which  it  is  used.  It  has  no  effect  on  the  late 
period  of  the  malady. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  Frank  X.  Moerk,  Ph.G. 
Starchjormation  from  formaldehyde. — The  formation  of  starch  in 
plants,  first  explained  by  von  Baeyer,  was  that  from  the  carbonic 
oxide,  there  was  formed  formaldehyde  CH20,  which  by  polymeriza- 
tion formed  starch.  Th.  Bokorny  (Berichte  Deutsch.  Bot.  Ges.,  1891, 
iv.)  has  now  succeeded  in  establishing  direct  proof  of  this  hypothe- 
sis; the  use  of  formaldehyde  itself  is  excluded  because  of  its 
poisonous  nature,  but  starting  with  sodium  oxymethylsulphonate 
rrr  /OH 
U"2^S03Na 
which  by  heat  in  aqueous  solution  is  decomposed  into  formaldehyde 
and  acid  sulphite  of  sodium  (CH2OHS03Na  =  CH20  -f  NaHS03) 
