4°4  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {Am'Iugr,'iSiarm' 
the  synthesis  was  effected.  The  solution  of  this  salt  answers  as  a 
nourishing  medium  for  certain  bacteria  ;  to  prevent  the  injurious 
action  of  the  acid  sulphite  some  di-potassium  phosphate  is  added, 
which  goes  to  form  neutral  sulphite  and  the  monorpotassium  phos- 
phate. The  nourishing  medium  employed  was  a  solution  contain- 
ing calcium  nitrate  o-i  per  cent.,  potassium  chloride  0-05  per  cent., 
magnesium  sulphate  0  02  per  cent.,  mono-potassium  phosphate  0  02 
per  cent,  and  ferric  chloride  a  trace ;  to  this  was  added  sodium 
oxymethylsulphonate  o-i  per  cent,  and  di-potassium  phosphate  01 
per  cent.  The  plant  used  in  the  experiments  was  Spirogyra 
majuscula,  Ktz.;  if  a  number  of  these  plants  (containing  little  starch) 
were  introduced  into  the  nourishing  medium,  taking  care  to  exclude 
even  traces  of  carbon  dioxide,  it  was  noticed  after  five  days  that  in 
all  cases  where  the  oxymethylsulphonate  of  sodium  was  added  an 
enormous  increase  of  starch  resulted,  whereas  if  this  salt  was  not 
added,  there  was  no  starch,  no  growth,  and,  in  a  number  of  cases,  the 
plants  perished. 
In  these  experiments  success  was  only  obtained  on  exposure  to 
light.  It  was  also  found  that  in  the  absence  of  potassium  salts  the  plants 
did  not  assimilate  carbon  dioxide.  The  nourishing  medium  made 
up  without  potassium  salts  but  containing  sodium  oxymethylsul- 
phonate favored  the  production  of  starch  in  the  plants  after  three 
days;  this  last  experiment  is  conclusive  evidence  that  formaldehyde 
is  immediately  concerned  in  the  formation  of  starch  since  in  the 
absence  of  potassium  salts  carbon  dioxide  could  not  be  assimilated. 
In  the  change  of  inorganic  matter  (C02)  into  organic  matter  formal- 
dehyde ranks  as  the  first  organic  matter. — Fharm.  Post,  1891,  462. 
Iodoform-odor. — To  conceal  the  odor  of  iodoform,  W.  Pagenkopf 
recommends  the  addition  of  a  little  Russian  turpentine  oil ;  it  is 
said  to  impart  a  peculiar,  almost  pleasant  odor  to  iodoform  prepara- 
tions.— Pharm.  Ztschr.  f.  Russl.,  1891,  391. 
Alkaloids  of  the  Amaryllidacea. — These  plants,  although  poison- 
ous, have  not  yet  been  chemically  examined;  two  (Amaryllis  for- 
mosissima  and  Amaryllis  Belladonna)  are  cultivated  in  gardens, 
because  of  their  beautiful  flowers.  The  alkaloids  were  obtained  by 
extracting  the  powdered  bulbs  with  alcohol,  distilling  off  the  solvent, 
taking  up  with  water,  precipitating  with  sodium  carbonate  and  dissolv- 
ing the  precipitate  in  ether.  The  alkaloid  obtained  on  evaporation  of 
the  solvent  was  purified  by  solution  in  acidulated  water,  precipitating 
