m'^ec.r,\marm'}  Gleanings  front  the  German  Journals.  60 1 
it  is  soluble  in  carbolic  acid  with  beautiful  red  color,  in  ether  with 
yellow,  in  toluol,  ethyl-alcohol,  amyl-alcohol  and  acetic  acid  with 
browish-red  color;  it  is  difficultly  soluble  in  benzin  and  carbon 
disulphite  and  insoluble  in  water.  Plant  and  animal-fibres  are  dyed 
directly  with  a  brownish-red  color.  Its  formation  is  explained  as 
follows :  If  metals  act  upon  carbolic  acid  containing  ammonia  there 
is  formed  by  reduction  a  quinone-like  body  of  a  dirty-brown  color, 
which  later  by  oxidation  is  converted  into  phenerythen.  Acting 
like  a  weak  base  it  forms  a  sulphate  of  indigo-blue  color,  a  nitrate 
of  red  color  and  a  hydrochlorate  of  reddish  violet  color.  Phenery- 
then in  an  alcoholic,  acetic  acid  solution  is  decolorized  by  treatment 
with  zinc  dust  forming  a  leuco-base ;  red  carbolic  acid  in  like  man- 
ner can  be  obtained  colorless  by  the  action  of  nascent  hydrogen, 
but  exposure  to  air,  will  cause  the  red  color  to  speedily  reappear. 
— [Pharm.  Post,  1891,  903)  Pharm.  Ztg.,  1891,  701. 
Gallacetophenone,  a  substitute  for  pyrogallol  in  dermatology,  is 
recommended  by  v.  Rekowsky ;  it  is  also  a  triatomic  phenol  having 
the  formula  C6H2(CHsCO)(OH)3  (pyrogallol  C6H3(OH)3).  In  alka- 
line solutions  it  is,  in  distinction  from  pyrogallol,  only  slowly  oxi- 
dized ;  it  is  relatively  non-poisonous.  Only  slightly  soluble  in  cold 
water  (0-18  parts  in  100  parts),  it  is  easily  soluble  in  boiling  water, 
alcohol  and  ether  ;  in  glycerin  it  is  soluble  in  all  proportions.  The 
solubility  in  cold  water  can  be  increased  to  4  parts  in  100  parts  if  it 
be  dissolved  in  warm  water  and  30  parts  sodium  acetate  added.  It 
melts  at  1700  C. — Pharm.  Ztg.,  1891,  628. 
New  alkaloid  in  the  areca  nut. — In  a  recent  communication,  E 
Jahns  announces  the  discovery  of  a  new  alkaloid  which  he  calls 
guvacine  (from  Guvaca,  the  old  Indian  name  for  the  areca  palm) ; 
it  has  the  formula  C6H9N02  and  differs  from  arecaine  and  arecaidine 
by  minus  CH2  and  from  arecoline  by  minus  (CH2)2.  It  crystallizes  in 
small,  lustrous  scales,  easily  soluble  in  water  and  dilute  alcohol, 
insoluble  in  strong  alcohol,  ether,  chloroform  and  benzol ;  at  265  0  C. 
it  becomes  dark  in  color  and  melts  at  271-2720  with  decomposi- 
tion. It  forms  salts  of  acid  reaction  having  the  same  solubilities  as 
the  base. — {Ber.d.  D.  Chem.  Ges.)  Pharm.  Ztg.,  1 891,  671. 
Phenacetine  can  be  distinguished  from  acetanilide  andantipyrine  by 
the  action  of  hot,  dilute  nitric  acid.  If  the  finely  powdered  phen- 
acetine be  covered  with  a  10-12  per  cent,  nitric  acid  and  heated  to 
the  boiling  point  for  a  short  time,  the  liquid  as  well  as  the  powder 
