Am'Dea^£i.arm*}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  599 
ash  insoluble  in  hydrochloric  acid,  not  less  than  10  per  cent,  volatile 
oil;  black  pepper,  not  more  than  6-5  per  cent,  ash,  not  more  than 
2  per  cent,  ash  insoluble  in  hydrochloric  acid,  not  more  than  15  per 
cent,  nor  less  than  12-5  per  cent,  moisture  ;  white  pepper,  maximum 
ash  percentage  3-5  per  cent.,  I  per  cent,  ash  insoluble  in  hydro- 
chloric acid,  moisture  as  above  ;  saffron,  not  more  than  8  per  cent, 
ash,  0-5  per  cent,  ash  insoluble  in  hydrochloric  acid,  13-14-7  per 
cent,  moisture,  6-7  per  cent,  chloroform  extract. —  Chemiker  Ztg., 
1891,  1543. 
Boric  acid,  according  to  Jaenicke,  has  only  a  slight  disinfecting 
or  sterilizing  action,  but  on  the  other  hand  has  the  ppwer  of  pre- 
venting the  growth  or  multiplication  of  bacteria  etc.;  to  realize  this 
property  of  boric  acid  the  wound  should  be  kept  filled  with  a  satura- 
ted solution  of  boric  acid  until  it  has  healed.  Better  than  the  boric 
acid,  because  of  greater  solubility,  is  a  compound  made  by  boiling 
together  equal  portions  of  boric  acid,  borax  and  water  ;  upon  cool- 
ing, the  compound  crystallizes  in  large  crusts  which  at  ordinary 
temperature  will  dissolve  to  form  a  16  per  cent,  solution  (boric  acid 
4  per  cent.)  or  at  blood  temperature  a  30  per  cent,  solution  (boric 
acid,  7  per  cent.) ;  the  solution  has  a  neutral  reaction,  and  is  more 
certain  and  longer  in  its  effectiveness  than  is  boric  acid  in  solution. 
Because  of  its  non-irritating  action,  its  non-poisonous  nature  and  its 
unchangeable  effectiveness  it  is  superior  as  an  antiseptic  to  all  other 
substances. — {Therap.  Monatsh)    Chem.  Repert.  1891,  289. 
Pental  is  the  name  under  which  amylene  or  trimethylethylene  C5H10 
is  re-introduced  by  Prof.  v.  Mering  as  an  Anaesthetic.  It  is  made 
chemically  pure  by  Kahlbaum,  Berlin,  from  amylene  hydrate  by 
heating  with  some  acid ;  it  forms  a  very  volatile,  colorless  liquid, 
boiling  at  380  C;  it  is  insoluble  in  water,  but  miscible  in  all  pro- 
portions with  alcohol,  chloroform  and  ether.  It  is  stated  to  be 
superior  to  chloroform  and  ethyl  bromide  in  that  there  is  no  danger 
attending  its  inhalation,  it  is  more  reliable  and  there  are  no  bad 
after-effects. — Hollander  {Therap.  Monatsh.)  Chem.  Repert.,  1891,. 
289. 
Tuberculocidinum  is  the  name  given  by  Prof.  Klebs,  Zurich,  to  a 
purified  tuberculin ;  the  impurities  to  be  removed  are  organic  bases 
or  alkaloids  which  are  the  cause  of  the  intense  febrile  reaction.  The 
method  followed  in  its  preparation  is  precipitating  the  tuberculin  with 
