Am\/aT^aarm"}     Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  15 
morphine  (1  :  5,000)  and  poured  on  the  filters.  These  are  dried  at 
slightly  elevated  temperatures  and  at  last  at  100°  C.  The  morphine 
is  then  transferred  to  the  flask  which  has  been  dried  at  100°  C,  and 
the  whole  heated  to  this  temperature  until  constant.  The  morphine 
obtained  represents  one-half  the  quantity  of  the  opium. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  Frank  X.  Moerk,  Ph.  G. 
Commercial  Ether.- — In  an  examination  of  the  oxychlorides  of  mer- 
cury K.  Thiimmel  attempted  to  remove  by  agitation  with  ether  an 
excess  of  mercuric  chloride  from  a  solution  of  monoxychloride  of 
mercury  in  sodium  bicarbonate ;  but  this  was  found  to  be  impossible  as 
the  ethereal  solution  after  some  minutes  became  turbid  and  deposited 
a  white  precipitate.  The  elaborate  researches  made  to  ascertain  the 
nature  and  source  of  this  precipitate  disclosed  that  all  samples  of  ether, 
made  by  him  or  purchased,  showed  the  same  behavior  and  that  this 
was  due  to  the  presence  of  vinyl  alcohol,  which  is  a  constant  impurity  of 
commercial  ether.  The  vinyl  alcohol  is  formed  in  the  manufacture  of 
the  ether  and  is  the  product  of  oxidation  of  pure  ether  by  atmos- 
pheric oxygen  with  formation  at  the  same  time  of  hydrogen  peroxide  ; 
it  is  also  formed  by  the  action  of  hydrogen  peroxide,  ozone  and 
chromium  trioxide  upon  ether.  Vinyl  alcohol  may  be  removed 
from  the  ether  by  repeatedly  agitating  with  water,  or  an  alka- 
line solution  of  mercuric  monoxychloride ;  by  phenyl-hydrazin ;  by 
treatment  with  bromine  ;  or  by  decomposing  it  with  potassium  hy- 
drate. The  liberation  of  iodine  from  iodides,  especially  in  presence 
of  acetic  acid,  is  due  to  the  presence  of  hydrogen  peroxide  in  the  ether, 
while  the  brown  coloration  on  addition  of  potassium  hydrate  is  caused 
by  the  vinyl  alcohol ;  an  acid  reaction  of  the  ether  is  traceable  to 
acetic  acid  which  is  the  main  product  of  oxidation  of  vinyl  alcohol. 
As  the  formation  of  vinyl  alcohol  and  hydrogen  peroxide  is  especially 
promoted  by  exposure  to  light,  and  experiment  has  shown  that  per- 
fectly pure  and  anhydrous  ether  also  undergoes  similar  changes,  the 
requirement  to  preserve  ether  in  a  dark  place  is  apparent.  For  phar- 
maceutical and  medicinal  uses  an  ether  of  neutral  reaction,  which 
does  not  liberate  iodine  from  iodides  arid  which  does  not  become  dis- 
colored by  agitation  with  potassium  hydrate  solution,  should  be  pro- 
