Am*Dec.?Sarm'}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  615 
seconds  in  a  water  bath.  Thinking  that  tragacanth  of  yellowish 
color,  which  gives  the  reaction  more  readily,  contained  a  yellow 
principle  giving  the  test,  samples  of  tragacanth,  white  and  yellow, 
were  extracted  with  91  per  cent,  alcohol.  The  residue  from  both 
was  of  a  decided  yellow  color,  containing  fat,  a  bitter  principle  and 
a  variety  of  sugar,  but  did  not  deepen  in  color  on  addition  of  NaOH. 
The  tragacanth  after  treatment  with  alcohol  acted  towards  NaOH 
just  as  the  tragacanth  before  such  treatment. — Apotheker  Ztg., 
1890,  644. 
Substitute  for  gum  arable. — A  decoction  of  linseed  with  dilute 
sulphuric  acid  and  water  (1  :  8  :  8)  at  first  is  quite  mucilaginous,  but 
later  becomes  rather  limpid  ;  if  at  this  point  it  be  strained  and  to 
the  strained  liquid  four  volumes  of  alcohol  added,  a  precipitate  is 
obtained  which,  after  washing  with  alcohol  and  drying,  forms  a  clear 
gum  without  color  and  taste. — [Dingier 's  Polytechn.  Journ.), 
Apotheker  Ztg.t  1890,  639. 
Gelatinizing  of  digitalis  infusions. — A  study  of  this  change  fre- 
quently noticed  in  the  infusion  leads  to  the  following  conclusions : 
(1)  Digitalis  collected  at  different  periods  does  not  show  any  differ- 
ences. (2)  The  petioles  are  richer  in  pectinous  substances  than  the 
leaf  itself.  (3)  By  prolonged  heating  of  the  infusion  the  pectin  is  so 
modified  that  by  the  action  of  micro-organisms  (from  the  air)  fer- 
mentation sets  in,  especially  in  the  presence  of  sugar,  which  causes 
the  gelatinizing  of  the  infusion.  (4)  Gelatinizing  does  not  take 
place  if  the  directions  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  are  followed,  especially 
if  leaves  used  be  freed  from  the  petioles. — Dr.  Forcke  (Caesar  & 
Lorenz),  Pharm.  Centralhalle,  1890,  626. 
Estimation  of  Acetanilide  in  Phenacetine. — The  method  is  based 
upon  the  different  solubilities  of  the  two  in  water.  Jf  one  grain 
acetanilide  be  agitated  for  one-half  hour  with  200  cc.  distilled  water 
at  the  ordinary  temperature  a  clear  solution  will  result ;  if  phena- 
cetine be  treated  in  the  same  manner  only  0-13  grain  will  dissolve. 
In  mixtures  of  the  two  treated  as  above,  to  the  insoluble  part  is 
added  0-13  gm.,  the  sum  indicating  the  phenacetine  present  in  the 
mixture,  while  the  acetanilide  is  obtained  by  difference. — Dr.  H. 
Will,  Apother.  Ztg.,  1890,  652. 
Detection  of  adulterated  bees-wax. — The  method  of  the  German 
pharmacopoeia  is  as  follows  :  1  gm.  wax  with  10  cc.  water  and  3  gm. 
sodium  carbonate  is  heated  to  the  boiling  point  for  15  minutes; 
