330 
GLEANINGS  FROM  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
respectively.  The  atropia  was  separated  in  two  different  ways  : 
1,  by  dissolving  5  grms.  of  the  extract  in  alcohol,  precipitating 
with  subacetate  of  lead,  treating  the  filtrate  with  sulphuretted 
hydrogen,  evaporating  to  1  grm.,  adding  ammonia,  agitating 
repeatedly,  with  pure  ether  and  evaporating  the  ether  spontane- 
ously. Yield  -040  grm.  =  «8  per  ct.;  2-10  grm.  were  triturated  with 
a  little  water  and  ammonia,  agitated  with  ether,  the  ether  evapo- 
rated, the  residue  dissolved  in  acetic  acid,  decolorised  by  animal 
charcoal,  evaporated  and  treated  with  ammonia  and  ether.  Y ield 
•125  grm.  =  1  -25  per  ct.  averaging  1-02  per  ct.  for  the  extract,  or 
•26  to  -27  per  ct.  for  the  dry  root.  The  author  was  unable  to  sepa- 
rate atropia  by  the  same  process  from  belladonna  extract,  pre- 
pared from  the  fresh  herb  by  the  process  of  the  Wiirttemberg 
Pharmacopoeia. — (N.  Jahrb.  d.  Ph.  xvi.  24.) 
Stearoptens  J.   Wandsleben  analyzed  crystals  deposited 
from  aqua  pefroselini ;  composition  C20  H14  08 ;  also  octohe- 
drons  from  spiritus  juniperi ;  composition  C12  H14  012. — (N. 
Jahrb.  d.  Ph.  xvi.  82.) 
Sophistications. — J.  Franck  obtained  a  commercial  jalap, 
which  was  mixed  with  tubers  deprived  of  the  resin.  The 
tubercles  of  the  true  tuber  had  disappeared,  the  nearly  parallel 
wrinkles  formed  in  irregular  shapes,  enclosing  deeper  plains  : 
their  odor  reminded  of  aqueous  extract  of  jalap,  and  the  sec- 
tion was  of  a  dirty  white  color,  without  darker  lines.  Cold 
water  assumed  a  dark  brown  color,  while  it  is  scarcely  colored 
by  good  jalap.* 
The  author  met  with  a  lycopodium  of  a  fine  granular  appear- 
ance, in  which  he  detected  the  pollen  of  several  conifers,  to 
the  amount  of  about  50  per  ct. 
Under  the  name  of  scammony  at  $8.00  per  lb.  he  obtained 
from  different  drug  houses  an  artificial  product,  consisting  of 
*  The  same  adulteration  has  been  practised  with  some  jalap  of  our 
commerce,  and  the  exhausted  tubers  correspond  in  appearance  with  the 
description  given  above.  I  have  seen  several  samples  with  longitudinal 
incisions,  made  apparently  with  a  sharp  knife,  which  facilitates  the  ex- 
traction. But  was  this  done  by  unscrupulous  druggists  here,  or  was  the 
article  imported  in  this  state  ?  J.  m.  m. 
