406  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {Am'Aug\?i89i?rm' 
Artificial  indigo. — The  yield  of  indigo  in  the  various  syntheses 
has  ^been  so  small  that  artificial  indigo  could  not  compete  with  the 
natural  article.  The  best  yield  so  far  has  been  obtained  by  Heu- 
mann  (Am.  Jour.  Pharm.,  1890,  614),  about  15  per  cent.  Further 
investigations  succeeded  in  considerably  increasing  the  yield,  so  that 
it  may  now  be  possible  for  the  artificial  indigo  to  compete  with  the 
natural.  The  improvement  of  the  process  consists  in  treating 
phenylglycocoll  with  fuming  sulphuric  acid  at  low  temperatures;  at 
— '50  C.  the  glycocoll  dissolves  very  readily  in  fuming  sulphuric  acid, 
with  a  yellow  color,  which,  on  dilution  with  ordinary  sulphuric  acid, 
changes  to  the  intense  blue,  characteristic  of  indigo  ;  addition  of 
sodium  chloride  to  this  solution  precipitates  the  indigo-carmine. — 
Dr.  A.  Haas,  Skidd.  Apoth.  Ztg.,  1 891 ,  172. 
Gelatinizing  of  infusion  of  digitalis. — In  the  Am.  Jonr.  Pharm. , 
1 890, 615,  the  results  of  some  investigations  are  given,  having  for  their 
object  the  conditions  under  which  this  infusion  will  gelatinize.  Dr. 
W.  Braeutigam  has  now  succeeded  by  a  bacteriological  investigation 
in  determining  that  a  bacillus  is  the  cause  of  the  change;  if  a  little  of 
the  culture  be  introduced  into  a  sterilized  infusion  of  digitalis,  con- 
taining 5  per  cent,  of  simple  syrup,  gelatinization  will  take  place  in 
about  two  days,  depending  somewhat  upon  the  temperature ;  in  the 
absence  of  the  syrup,  the  infusion  became  slimy  but  never  gelatinous. 
The  cultures  were  made  by  using  an  infusion  of  digitalis  containing 
5  percent,  simple  syrup  and  6-8  per  cent,  gelatin  as  the  nourishing 
medium  .;  the  cultures  have  a  grayish  appearance  with  pearly  lustre  ; 
the  bacillus  develops  in  an  alkaline  or  acid  medium. — Phar.  Ztg., 
1 89 1,  349- 
Eugenol-ethers. — Benzoyl-eugenol  or  benzeugenol  C10HnO.OC7H5O 
crystallizes  in  colorless,  odorless,  slightly  bitter  needles,  neutral  in 
reaction  and  melting  at  70*5°C;  almost  insoluble  in  water,  soluble 
in  hot  alcohol,  chloroform,  ether  and  acetone  ;  with  strong  sulphuric 
acid  a  purplish-red  coloration  results. 
Cinnamyl-eugenol  C10HnO.OC9H7O  forms  colorless,  odorless,  taste- 
less, lustrous  needles,  melting  at  90-9i°C,  neutral  in  reaction  ;  solu- 
bility and  color  reaction  like  the  preceding.  Both  are  easily 
saponified  and  then  on  addition  of  acid  give  the  characteristic 
eugenol  odor  and  separate  the  acid.  J.  D.  Riedel  of  Berlin  has 
applied  for  patents  covering  the  manufacture  of  these  compounds 
directly  from  the  oil  of  cloves  ;  they  are  to  be  used  in  pulmonary 
