294  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {Amju°nUe;Sarm'* 
neither  being  increased  nor  decreased.  Of  various  solvents,  water 
gave  an  inert  extract  upon  evaporation;  95  per  cent,  alcohol,  70 
per  cent,  alcohol,  chloroform,  ether,  benzol,  carbon  disulphide  and 
petroleum  ether  all  extracted  the  active  constituent,  and  the  residual 
powder  was  inert.  With  the  exception  of  the  carbon  disulphide 
extract,  which  was  neutral,  the  extracts  were  acid  to  litmus  paper. 
If  the  active  extractions  be  mixed  with  some  inert  powder,  like 
powdered  chamomile,  the  product  acts  like  the  original  powder. 
Seventy  per  cent,  alcohol  will  remove  from  the  petroleum-ether 
extract  an  oily  resinous  mass,  which,  placed  upon  the  tongue,  pro- 
duces a  sensation  similar  to  an  extract  obtained  from  the  pyrethrum 
root ;  these  substances  must  be  different,  however,  as  pyrethrum 
possesses  no  vermin-destroying  properties. — Pharm.  Ztschr.f.  Russl. 
1890,  209. 
Detection  of  thio  sulphate  in  bicarbonate  of  sodium :  5  gm.  bicarbonate 
of  sodium  and  o-i  gm.  calomel  are  triturated  with  2  drops  of  distilled 
water  when,  if  the  impurity  is  present,  the  mixture  will  be  colored 
gray,  due  to  formation  of  mercuric  sulphide. — F.  Musset,  Pharm. 
Centrallialle,  1890,  230. 
Iodine  may  be  purified  as  follows :  A  convenient  quantity  of 
iodine  is  placed  in  a  beaker  and  covered  with  a  concentrated  solu- 
tion of  iodide  of  potassium,  the  beaker  covered  with  a  watch  crystal 
and  heat  applied  until  the  iodine  melts;  the  melting  point  of  iodine 
is  below  the  boiling  point  of  the  iodide  of  potassium  solution  and, 
hence,  the  operation  proceeds  nicely.  After  the  beaker  and  con- 
tents become  cool  the  iodine-cake  is  removed,  broken  up  and  after 
draining  in  a  funnel,  washed  with  water.  The  product  is  free  from 
chlorine  and  is  easier  obtained  in  this  condition  than  by  resmblima- 
tion ;  the  mother  liquor  is  reserved  for  future  operations. — F.  Mus- 
set, Pharm.  Centralhatle,  1890,  230 
Cassia  oil  may  be  tested  for  likely  adulterations  by  the  following 
simple  tests:  (1)  Agitation  of  the  suspected  sample  with  three 
volumes  of  petroleum  ether  sp.  gr.  0  650  should  neither  produce  an 
increase  nor  decrease  of  the  volume  of  oil  taken;  a  decrease  in 
volume  would  indicate  the  presence  of  other  essential  oils,  fixed  oils, 
resin  or  kerosin ;  an  increase,  the  presence  of  larger  quantities  of 
castor  oil.  (2)  The  clear  petroleum-ether  layer  of  the  above  test 
agitated  for  several  minutes  with  copper  hydrate  (obtained  by  pre- 
cipitating  copper   sulphate   solution  with  solution  of  potassium 
