488  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {Amo£t%™arm' 
On  the  micro-chemical  detection  and  the  distribution  of  dulcite  in 
the  vegetable  kingdom. — J.  Borodin  [Revue  des  Sciences  Nat.,  St 
Petersburg,  1890,  No.  1,  p.  26-31  and  55)  found  dulcite  in  Melam- 
pyrum  nemorosum.  On  treating  the  sections  with  alcohol,  dulcite 
separates  in  relatively  large  prismatic  crystals  somewhat  similar  to 
saltpetre  and  asparagin.  It  differs  from  these  (1)  in  that  the  crys- 
tals are  insoluble  in  a  saturated  solution  of  dulcite  in  water,  and  (2) 
on  heating  to  1900  C.  dulcite  decomposes  forming  a  dark-brown 
blistery  mass.  The  carbohydrate  is  found  in  all  parts  of  M.  nemo- 
rosum, M.  pratense  and  M.  silvaticum  and  furthermore  in  four  other 
species,  which  were  taken  from  an  herbarium.  The  examination  in 
this  case  was  as  follows :  The  leaves  were  rubbed  to  a  powder 
between  the  fingers  and  extracted  with  dilute  alcohol,  and  the  solu- 
tion evaporated  on  a  watch-glass  ;  or  the  leaves  were  softened  in 
water  and  then  treated  as  if  fresh.  Other  scrophulariaceous  species, 
like  Rhinanthus  Crista  galli  and  Scrophularia  nodosa,  were  found 
to  be  absolutely  free  from  dulcite.  The  plants  of  the  order  Celas- 
tracese  contain  dulcite,  which  was  found  in  eleven  species  of 
Euonymus,  three  of  Celastrus,  and  one  of  Schaefferia. 
Haplopappus  Baylahuen,  C.  Gay  (Hysterionica  Baylahueny 
Baillon.) — Rusby  [Drug.  Bull.,  iv,  No.  2,  p.  39)  examined  this  plant 
which  is  used  in  the  province  of  Coquimbo  as  an  antihystericum 
and  in  veterinary  medicine  for  treatment  of  wounds.  He  found  a 
volatile  oil,  a  fatty  oil,  this  having  the  specific  odor  of  the  plant,  a 
brown  acid  resin  of  sharp  taste  and  tannin.  The  taste  is  said  to 
resemble  pichi. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  Frank  X.  Moerk,  Ph.G. 
Herniaria  glabra. — In  addition  to  the  known  constituents  of 
this  plant  herniarin  (methyl-umbelliferon)  and  saponin,  Dr.  Schnee- 
gaus  finds  also  an  alkaloid,  called  paronychine.  It  is  present  in 
minute  quantity  only,  and  is  extracted  by  treating  the  drug  with 
dilute  alcohol  containing  tartaric  acid,  evaporating,  taking  up  in 
water,  making  this'solution  alkaline  and  agitating  with  ether;  after 
conversion  into  the  sulphate  it  is  precipitated  by  phospho-tungstate 
of  sodium  and  the  alkaloid  obtained  pure  from  this  precipitate  by 
treatment  with  baryta  and  solution  in  ether.  The  acetate  with  a 
weak  solution  of  cerium  sulphate  in  concentrated  sulphuric  acid 
