222  Gleanings  from  the  European  Journals.  {Amm^i873?** 
^Decomposition  of  Hydrate  of  Chloral.  Hydrate  of  chloral  contain- 
ing the  elements  for  formic  acid  and  chloroform  (C4HC1302,H202=C2 
HCl3-rC2H204)  is  split  into  these  two  bodies  by  the  action  of  alkalies. 
H.  Byasson  has  observed  a  similar  decomposition  under  the  combined 
influence  of  glycerin  and  heat.  On  heating  a  solution  of  1  part  of 
chloral  hydrate  in  5  parts  of  syrupy  glycerin,  a  reaction  commences 
at  about  110°  C.  (230°  F.),  and  continues  regularly  to  about  230°  C. 
(446°  F.),  when  the  glycerin  is  much  colored  and  thick.  The  decom- 
position products  have  distilled  over,  and  the  liquid  separates  into* 
two  layers,  the  lower  of  which  consists  of  chloroform,  while  the  upper 
layer  contains  formic  acid,  hydrochloric  acid,  formiate  of  allyl  and 
chloral  hydrate  dissolved  in  water.  As  a  mean  of  three  operations, 
100  chloral  hydrate  yielded  31  chloroform.  The  other  products  are 
in  small  proportions  and  the  result  of  secondary  decomposition  ;  hy- 
drochloric acid  results  from  the  decomposition  of  some  chloroform, 
and  formiate  of  allyl  from  the  decomposition  of  glycerin  under  the- 
combined  action  of  heat  and  nascent  formic  acid.  To  obtain  the  re- 
sults as  described,  it  is  important  that  the  glycerin  should  be  syrupy; 
if  water  had  been  previously  added,  the 'greater  part  of  the  chloral 
will  distil  over  undecomposed. — Journ.  de  Pliarm.  et  de  Chim.,  1813, 
April,  288—290. 
Composition  of  some  Nostrums.  "Apotheker  Zeitung,"  1873,  No~ 
9,  gives  the  following  composition  of  two  American  patent  medicines, 
copied  from  "  Industrie-Blatter"  : 
Five-minute  fragrant  Pain-curer  of  the  so-called  New  York  Med- 
ical University  :  Ether  6  grams,  glycerin  21,  table-salt  3-4  and  water 
170  grams. 
Dr.  Pierce's  favorite  prescription  for  the  cure  of  those  chronic 
weaknesses  and  complaints  peculiar  to  females :  From  savin  10,  aga- 
ric 5,  cinnamon  5,  pale  cinchona  10  grams,  a  decoction  of  220  grams- 
is  obtained,  to  which  are  added  10  gm.  gum  arabic,  5  gm.  sugar,  2  gm.. 
tincture  of  digitalis,  2  gm.  tincture  of  opium,  and  8  drops  oil  of  star 
anise  dissolved  in  45  grams  of  alcohol. 
Pure  Grallotannie  Acid.  Julius  Lcewe  has  endeavored,  by  a  series 
of  elaborate  experiments,  to  determine  the  composition  of  pure  gallo- 
tannic  acid  and  its  relation  to  gallic  acid.  Commercial  tannin  was 
purified,  1,  by  dialyzing  its  alcoholic  solution  through  a  porous  clay1 
