334 
DETECTION  OF  QUINIA. 
time,  provided  they  are  kept  dry.  The  simplest  and  most 
reliable  method  of  estimating  the  hydrocyanic  acid  of  bitter 
almond  water,  is  that  proposed  by  Liebig.  To  500  grs.  of  the 
water  add  a  little  caustic  potassa,  and  1  or  2  grs.  chloride  of 
sodium  ;  now  add,  drop  by  drop,  a  solution  of  63  grs.  pure  ni- 
trate of  silver  in  sufficient  water  to  weigh  12i  ounces,  until  a 
permanent  turbidity  of  chloride  of  silver  takes  place ;  300 
grs.  of  the  silver  solution  indicate  1  gr.  anhydrous  hydrocyanic 
acid. 
To  obtain  a  clear  bitter  almond  water,  add  6  drops  dilute 
sulphuric  acid  to  12  oz.  of  the  freshly  distilled  water. — (N. 
Rep.  der  Ph.  x.  338—359.) 
RM-e-Taft,  Taftroot.— Prof.  Dr.  C.  Schroff  received  from 
Dr.  Polak,  physician  to  the  Shah  of  Persia,  this  root,  whicn  is 
used  in  various  nervous  diseases.  From  his  experiments  on  rab- 
bits, the  author  concludes,  that  the  root  belongs  to  his  3d  or^er 
of  the  narcotics,  and  is  allied  to  Hyoscyamus,  Atropa  and  Datura- 
On  referring  to  the  herbarium  of  the  University  of  Vienna,  the 
author  pronounces  it  to  be  the  root  of  Scopolia  mutica,  Dunal, 
but  regards  it  as  probable  that  the  root  of  Hyoscyamus  bipin- 
natisectus,  Boissier,  may  likewise  be  used  under  the  above  name. 
— (Buchner's  N.  Rep.  x.  364—384-) 
Croton  Erythraema,  Martius,  yields  by  incisions  a  blood-red 
juice  called  by  the  Brazilians  Sanque  de  Drago,  which,  accord- 
ing to  Th.  Peckolt,  is  used  as  an  astringent  in  chronic  diarrhoea, 
gonorrhoea,  fluor  albus,  haemorrhages,  and  as  an  application  to 
wounds.  The  astringency  appears  to  be  due  to  ordinary  tan- 
nin ;  it  further  contains  gum,  pectin,  albumen,  sugar,  resin  of 
an  agreeable  benzoin  odor,  gallic  acid,  erythraemic  acid  and 
inorganic  salts  (Archiv.  d.  Ph.  cviii.  142 — 154.) 
DETECTION  OF  _L  OF  A  MILLIGRAMME  OF  QUINIA. 
locO 
By  F.  A.  Fluckiger. 
(Presented  to  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Apothecary's  Society  of  Geneva.)  • 
In  the  March  number  of  the  "  Swiss  News,"  1861,  page  65, 
I  have  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  well-known  fluores- 
