38 
GLEANINGS  FROM  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
the  fruit,  together  with  the  seeds  of  Crescentia  edulis,  Derv.,  with 
sugar,  and  adding  a  little  oil  of  almonds.  Professor  Walz 
analyzed  the  fruit,  and  found  butyric,  acetic,  tartaric  and  malic 
acids,  resin,  sugar,  gum,  pectin,  humin  and  lignine  ;  the  ashes 
contain  potassa,  soda,  little  lime,  phosphoric  acid,  magnesia, 
alumina. — (N.  Jahrb.  d.  Ph.  xv.  426.) 
Laudanum  liquidum  Sydenhami.~L.  Lade,  of  Geneva,  has 
made  some  interesting  experiments  to  ascertain  the  best 
menstruum  for  this  preparation.  He  employed  Malaga  wine  of 
1-040  spec.  grav.  which  left  17  per  cent,  extract  ;  Swiss 
(Waadtland)  wine  of  -995  spec.  gr.  containing  1 J  per  cent,  extract, 
and  alcohol  of  -931  leaving  no  residue.  Of  the  saffron,  cinna- 
mon and  cloves,  Malaga  wine  dissolved  48,  Swiss  wine  54,  and 
diluted  alcohol  59  per  cent.  ;  these  tinctures  macerated  with 
opium  took  up  60,  66  and  70  per  cent,  and  increased  in  spec, 
grav.  -031,  -034  and  -039  respectively.  The  amount  of  extract 
remaining  on  evaporation  of  these  three  tinctures  was  23,10, 10 
per  cent.,  from  which,  however,  the  solid  ingredients  of  the 
menstrua  must  be  deducted,  so  that  Malaga  wine  has  taken  up 
6,  Swiss  wine  8-5,  and  diluted  alcohol  10  per  cent,  of  its  own 
weight.  These  experiments  prove  the  superiority  of  diluted 
alcohol  over  Malaga  wine,  the  solvent  power  of  which  appears 
to  be  materially  impaired  by  containing  17  per  cent.  (9iv.  per 
ounce)  of  sugar,  extractive  and  salts. — (Schweiz.  Zeit.  f.  Ph.  vi. 
157-160.) 
Sticky  plasters. — The  Schweiz.  Zeitschr.  f.  Ph.  vi.  169,  re- 
commends to  sprinkle  the  plaster  board,  after  the  moisture  has 
evaporated  with  lycopodium,  and  after  rolling,  the  plaster  may  be 
kept  without  adhering  to  the  paper.  Freshly  spread  plasters,  par- 
ticularly in  summer,  or  when  to  be  carried  a  great  distance,  are 
prevented  from  adhering  by  lycopodium,  which,  previous  to  their 
application,  is  wiped  off.  Small  quantities  of  turpentine,  liquid 
storax,  &c,  for  mixtures  or  pills,  are  best  weighed  out  upon 
paper  sprinkled  with  lycopodium,  which  prevents  them  from 
adhering. —(Schweiz.  Zeitschr.  f.  Pharm.  vi.  169.) 
