AmNoT'if9hiarm*}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  539 
To  detect  mineral  oils  in  fixed  oils. — P.  Soltsien  treats  the  oil  with 
concentrated  sulphuric  acid,  and,  after  the  action  is  complete,  agi- 
tates thoroughly  with  petroleum-ether,  separates  the  latter,  evapor- 
ates it  and  examines  the  residue  left  on  evaporation.  The  process 
depends  upon  the  formation  of  compounds  of  the  fixed  oils  and 
sulphuric  acid  which  are  not  soluble  in  petroleum-ether,  while  the 
mineral  oils  are  not  changed  and  are  therefore  soluble  in  petroleum- 
ether.  The  presence  of  small  quantities  of  rosin  oil  in  boiled 
linseed  oil  was  detected  by  this  method. 
Adulterations.  —  Powdered  cinnamon  is  frequently  adulterated 
with  powdered  sugar,  from  10  to  16  per  cent,  having  been  found ;  the 
object  of  the  adulteration  being  to  disguise  the  bitter  and  sharp 
taste  of  inferior  grades. 
Powdered  mace  is  often  mixed  with  considerable  quantities  of 
Bombay  mace  (see  Am.  Journ.  Pharm,  1890,  398;  1 891 ,  188);  the 
addition  of  powdered  or  ground  nutmeg  can  be  determined  by  the 
presence  of  starch  in  such  mace. — P.  Soltsien ;  Pharm.  Ztg  ,1891,  600. 
The  Hydrastis  alkaloids  are  three  in  number,  hydrastine,  berberine 
and  canadine ;  this  last  alkaloid,  first  discovered  by  F.  Wilhelm,  is 
easily  isolated  owing  to  its  difficultly  soluble  salts.  It  forms  white 
lustrous  needles,  melting  at  1 340  C,  has  the  formula  C21H21N04,  and 
is,  chemically,  dihydromethyl-berberine. 
Papaveracece  alkaloids. — Sanguinarine  has  been  found  to  consist 
of  four  alkaloids :  chelerythrine,  sanguinarine  (apparently  identical 
with  one  of  the  alkaloids  of  Stylophoron  diphyllum  and  of  Macleya 
cordata),  ft-homo-chelidonine  (yielding  colorless  salts),  and  protopine 
(yielding  colorless  salts) ;  the  latter  is  very  probably  identical  with 
macleyine  and  one  of  the  alkaloids  from  Eschscholtzia  californica 
(see  Amer.  Jour.  Pharm.,  1891,  p.  457). 
Narcotine  has  been  proven  to  be  methoxylated  hydrastine. 
Scopolamine  is  the  name  given  to  an  alkaloid,  which  was  supposed 
to  be  hyoscine  but  upon  examination  proved  to  be  a  new  alkaloid 
having  the  formula  C17H21N04;  it  contains  two  atoms  oxygen  more 
than  apoatropine  and  atropamine;  by  boiling  with  baryta  it  yields 
tropic  acid  and  a  base  having  the  formula  C8H13N02  and  melting  at 
uo°.  The  commercial  hyoscine  hydrobromate  consists  essentially 
of  scopolamine  hydrobromate.  Scopolamine  has  been  found  in  small 
