178  Gleanings  in  Materia  Medica.        {Am,I™n,  SoS™1" 
inodorous,  deliquescent,  soluble  in  the  ordinary  solvents  and  pro- 
duces mydriasis.  The  sulphate  and  hydrochloride  are  crystalline 
and  deliquescent.  Mandragorine  has  the  formula  C17H23N03  or 
C17H27NOs.  It  is  not  converted  into  atropine  by  alkalies. — Be- 
richte,  1889,  p.  2 159-2 161. 
Scutellarint  Cl0HsO3,  has  been  isolated  by  Takahashi  [Client. 
Centr.  1889,)  from  the  root  of  Scutellaria  lanceolaria,  by  treating  the 
ether  extract  with  caustic  soda,  acidulating  the  alkaline  liquid  and 
purifying  the  yellow  precipitate.  Scutellarin  forms  flat  yellow 
needles,  is  inodorous  and  tasteless,  melts  at  1990  C,  is  sparingly 
soluble  in  hot  water,  but  dissolves  in  other  simple  solvents,  in 
alkalies  and  without  change  also  in  sulphuric  acid.  Nitric  acid 
dissolves  it  with  a  red  color.  It  is  not  a  glucoside  but  appears  to  be 
a  phenol.    In  5  gm.  doses  given  to  a  dog  it  produced  no  effect. 
Carbohydrates  and  cnpric  oxide. — C.  L.  Guignet  observed  that 
cuprammonium  sulphate  yields  no  precipitates  with  gums,  pectins 
and  extractive  matter,  but  gives  blue  precipitates,  soluble  in 
ammonia,  with  mannit,  dulcit,  glucose  and  galactose  ;  while  saccha- 
rose, lactose,  invert  sugar  and  levulose  are  not  precipitated. 
Starch,  starch-paste  and  inulin  absorb  cupric  oxide  from  ammonio- 
cupric  oxide  solution. —  Compt.  Rend.,  cix,  p.  528. 
Pineapple  juice  was  found  by  Dr.  Flascher  of  excellent  service  in 
bronchitis,  in  softening  the  mucus.  For  preparing  the  juice,  the 
fruit  is  sliced,  sprinkled  with  sugar,  heated  to  boiling,  and  strained. 
The  dose  is  about  two  tablespoonfuls. — Lyon  Medicate,  Oct.,  1889. 
Cocillana,  a  species  of  Guarea,  nat.  ord.  Meliaceae,  has  recently 
been  lauded  as  an  expectorant  somewhat  similar  to  ipecac  in  its 
effects,  and  to  possess  also  valuable  tonic  and  laxative  properties. 
The  genus  comprises  about  70  species,  3  of  which  have  in  former 
times  attracted  attention  on  account  of  their  asserted  purgative  and 
emetic  properties  and  their  supposed  usefulness  in  various  chronic 
diseases.  Guarea  trichiloides,  Lin.  G.  Swartzii,  DeCand.,  and  G. 
purgans,  St.  Hil.,  are  small  trees  of  which  the  bark  has  been  mainly 
employed. 
The  bark  of  the  locust-tree,  Robinia  Pseudacacia,  Lin.,  has  been 
examined  by  Prof.  F.  B.  Power  and  Jacob  Cambier  (Phar.  Rund- 
schau, Feb.,  1890),  with  the  view  of  determining  the  principle  to 
which  its  reputed  poisonous  properties  are  due.    About  2  per  cent. 
