334  ANIMAL  FAT  RENDERED  INODOROUS  AND  WHOLESOME. 
when  perfectly  dried  at  212°  F.,  15  per  cent,  of  glucose,  and  it 
before  drying  retained  17  per  cent,  of  water ;  so  that  originally, 
as  taken  in  commerce,  it  contained  12  per  cent,  of  glucose. 
The  author  also  examined  extract  of  gentian. 
Adulterated  subnitrate  of  bismuth. — M.  Roussin,  in  a  commu- 
nication to  the  Society  of  Pharmacy  of  Paris,  states  that  he  had 
found  28  per  cent,  of  phosphate  of  lime  in  subnitrate  of  bismuth. 
The  author  tests  the  subnitrate  by  dissolving  15  grains  in  a  little 
nitric,  or,  better,  muriatic  acid,  and  adding  tartaric  acid.  If  now 
an  excess  of  solution  of  caustic  potassa  be  added,  no  precipitate 
will  follow  if  the  salt  is  pure,  but  if  phosphate  of  lime  is  present 
it  is  precipitated. — Jour,  de  Pliarm. 
Agave  a  rubefacient. — The  pulp  of  the  leaves  constituting  the 
bulk  of  agave  is  said  to  act  like  mustard,  and  has  been  used  in 
veterinary  medicine. — Rep.  de  Pliarm. 
New  reagent  for  nitric  acid. — M.  Braun  suggests  the  use  of 
sulphate  of  anilin  as  a  test  for  the  presence  of  nitric  acid.  In  a 
watch  crystal  he  puts  about  a  seventh  of  a  grain  of  sulphuric 
acid,  sp.  gr.  1*842,  and  drop  by  drop  about  a  fourteenth  of  a 
grain  of  sulphate  of  anilin,  prepared  with  10  drops  of  anilin  of 
commerce,  8  grains  of  sulphuric  acid,  and  48  grains  of  water. 
Dip  a  glass  rod  in  the  liquid  supposed  to  contain  nitric  acid, 
and  draw  it  in  the  anilin  solution;  then  blow  on  the  surface, 
when  quickly  fringes  of  red,  deepening  in  color  with  the  propor- 
tion of  nitric  acid  present,  will  be  seen. 
By  the  aid  of  this  process  M.  Braun  has  easily  recognized  the 
presence  of  nitric  acid  in  sulphuric  acid,  and  in  drinking  waters. 
— Jour,  de  Cliimie  Med.,  Avril,  1868. 
MEANS  OF  RENDERING  ANIMAL  FAT  INODOROUS  AND 
WHOLESOxME. 
According  to  Prof.  Hirzel,  animal  fats  may  be  preserved  in  a 
good  condition  during  a  year  without  their  contracting  a  bad 
odor,  by  mixing  the  recently  melted  fat,  for  example,  7  kilo- 
grammes (14J  lbs.),  with  20  grams.  (5  drachms)  of  table  salt  and 
15  grains  of  alum  in  powder,  and  heating  till  a  scum  is  formed 
on  the  surface,  composed  of  coagulated  albumen,  membranes, 
