t 
344  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {Amju°"il».arm' 
on  cooling.  A  one  per  cent,  solution,  however,  made  by  the  aid  of 
heat  remained  perfectly  clear  when  kept  for  several  days.  This  is 
the  maximum  quantity  which  will  remain  in  solution. — Apotheker 
Ztg.,  1890,  246 
Arsenic  test. — -The  behavior  of  the  hypophosphites  towards 
arsenical  solutions  (precipitation  of  metallic  arsenic)  is  brought  into 
prominence  again  by  G.  Looff  as  a  test  for  arsenic ;  in  sensitiveness 
it  ranks  between  the  tests  of  Gutzeit  and  Bettendorf.  Ten  cc. 
hydrochloric  acid,  of  any  strength  or  purity,  with  o  2  gm.  calcium 
hypophosphite  placed  in  a  water-bath  for  1-2  hours  will  enable  the 
detection  of  T-l~g-  milligram  arsenic  (Bettendorf 's  test  will  detect  ^ 
milligram).  Five  cc.  sulphuric  acid,  phosphoric  acid  or  glycerin  with 
0-2  e^m.  of  a  hypophosphite  (in  the  presence  of  sulphuric  acid  the 
sodium  salt  is  best  used,  in  other  cases  the  calcium  salt  because  of 
its  non-hygroscopic  character)  and  10  cc.  concentrated  hydrochloric 
acid  warmed  in  a  water-bath  for  1-2  hours  will  show  the  presence 
of  milligram  arsenic.  Of  calcium  phosphate,  sodium  phosphate 
and  tartar  emetic  0  5  gm.  is  dissolved  in  10  cc.  concentrated  HC1 
and  0-2  gm.  calcium  hypophosphite  added,  etc.  Bismuth  subnitrate 
must  first  be  ignited  to  remove  the  nitric  acid,  and  then  proceeded 
with  as  above ;  or  dissolve  equal  weights  of  the  subnitrate  and 
hypophosphite  in  hydrochloric  acid  and  warm.  Sulphide  of  anti- 
mony is  dissolved  in  HC1  with  the  aid  of  a  little  potassium  chlorate 
before  adding  the  hypophosphite  and  warming.  To  test  solution 
of  ferric  chloride  a  combination  of  Bettendorf's  test  and  the  hypo- 
phosphite test  allows  the  detection  of  the  smallest  trace  of  arsenic  : 
5  cc.  of  the  solution  mixed  with  10  cc.  HC1  are  decolorized  byaddi 
tion  of  Bettendorf's  test  solution,  then  the  hypophosphite  added 
and  warmed.  Most  of  the  commercial  solutions  of  ferric  chloride 
were  found  to  contain  arsenic. — Apotheker  Ztg.,  1890,  263. 
A  niorphiometric  assay  of  opium  for  which  is  claimed  purity  of  the 
morphine  obtained,  the  alkaloid  being  almost  white  and  imme- 
diately soluble  in  100  parts  lime  water,  considerable  saving  of  time, 
and,  constant  results,  the  extreme  differences  of  a  number  of  assays 
being  within  0-3  per  cent,  (the  results  of  this  method  are  always 
about  1  per  cent,  lower  than  by  Dieterich  s  method)  is  as  follows:  5 
grams  of  the  finely  powdered  opium  are  triturated  with  water  and 
made  up  to  78  gm.;  after  frequently  agitating  during  1-2  hours, 
60  8  gm.  (representing  4  grams  opium)  are  filtered  off  and  in  it  dis- 
