Am"reD.ri89oarm' 1  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  87 
upon  the  solubility  in  HC1  and  the  behavior  upon  addition  of 
concentrated  nitric  acid :  o- 1  gram  exalgin  dissolves  easily  in 
1  cc.  concentrated  HC1  (phenacetin  is  insoluble)  and  is  not 
reprecipitated  (acetanilid);  the  solution  should  remain  color- 
less on  addition  of  one  drop  of  concentrated  nitric  acid 
(methacetin  causes  a  red-brown  coloration). — E.  Ritsert, 
Pharm.  Ztg.,  1889,  754. 
Methysticin,  the  crystalline  principle  present  in  the  root  of 
Macropiper  Methysticum  and  prepared  by  extraction  with 
boiling  80  per  cent,  alcohol,  allowing  to  cool  and  repeatedly 
crystallizing  the  crystals  obtained  from  70  per  cent,  alcohol, 
has  the  following  properties,  according  to  Dr.  C.  Pomeranz: 
White  silky  prismatic  needles,  odorless  and  tasteless,  melting 
at  1 370  C;  insoluble  in  cold  water,  slightly  soluble  in  hot 
water,  petroleum  ether  and  ether,  more  soluble  in  cold  alcohol, 
chloroform  and  benzol ;  the  best  solvent  is  boiling  alcohol ;  it 
is  not  volatile,  decomposing  on  heating  with  evolution  of 
aromatic  yellow  vapors ;  with  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  it 
colors  purplish-violet.  Methysticin  does  not  contain  nitrogen 
having  the  formula  C10H14O5  and  is  the  methyl  ether  of 
methystic  acid  C14H1205;  the  statement  is  contradicted  that 
by  its  oxidation  benzoic  acid  is  formed. — Pharm.  Post,  1889, 
910. 
Lard  Substitutes  for  Ointments. — (1)  Lanolin  65  parts,  paraffin 
oil  30  parts  and  ceresin  5  parts.  (2)  Anhydrous  lanolin  35 
parts,  vaselin  53  parts,  white  ceresin  7  parts  and  distilled 
water  5  parts.  The  latter  preparation  is  known  as  "  Un- 
guentum  medicinale  "  or  "  Adipatum,"  and  is  useful  in  pre- 
paring stock  ointments  (rancidity  being  impossible)  and  in 
making  ointments  containing  silver  nitrate  or  potassium 
permanganate. — Pharm.  Ztg.,  1889,  745. 
Chlorinated  Lime. — E.  Koefoed  has  made  experiments  upon 
this  substance  to  ascertain  if  it  contain  the  compound  CaOCl.,, 
or  if  be  a  mixture  of  calcium  chloride  and  hypochlorite.  His 
conclusions  are  that  chlorinated  lime  contains  both  chloride 
and  hypochlorite  of  calcium,  and  are  based  upon  the  follow- 
ing two  observations.  (1)  If  an  aqueous  solution  of  bleach- 
ing powder  be  dialyzed,  the  dialysate  will  contain  approxi- 
mately twice  as  much  calcium  chloride  as  hypochlorite. 
