266         Gleanings  from  the  European  Journals.  {AjuJu°et^;i87^M* 
Origin  of  frankincense. — J.  B.  Batka  stated  at  the  last  meeting  of 
German  naturalists  and  physicians,  that  the  commercial  olibanum  is 
not  obtained  from  Boswellia  glabra,  serrata  or  papyrifera,  but,  ac- 
cording to  Birdwood,  from  B.  Oarteri,  which,  in  Soumali,  is  called 
mohr  madow,  and  from  B.  Bhau  (dajana  mohr  add),  and  B.  Freriana 
(yegaar),  all  growing  upon  lime  rocks  in  Soumali,  the  first  one  also 
in  Hadramout.  These  statements  have  been  corroborated  from  Aden 
by  Baron  Maltzahn. — Buchners  N.  BeperL,  175-177. 
Origin  of  China  root. — Dr.  0.  T.  Sandahl  endeavors  to  prove  that 
China  root  is  in  reality  a  tuber,  although  it  is  destitute  of  the  so-called 
eyes.  These  tubers  are  not  obtained  from  the  uncertain  species  Smi~ 
lax  China,  Lin.,  but  from  Sm.  glabra,  Roxb.,  as  was  lately  proven 
by  Dr.  Hance,  who  received  a  living  plant,  with  the  subterraneous 
parts  attached,  from  Mr.  Bowra,  thus  confirming  the  supposition  of 
Roxburgh,  expressed  in  Vol.  iii,  192,  of  his  Flora  indica.  Dr. 
Hance  also  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  in  all  countries  the  roots, 
&c,  of  various  species  of  Smilax  are  held  in  high  repute  for  their 
alterative,  diuretic  and  diaphoretic  virtues,  and  argues  from  this  that 
sarsaparilla  and  other  smilacene  may  not  be  as  ineffective  as  many 
physicians  suppose. — N.  Jahrb.  f.  Pharm.,  1872,  Feb.,  from  Nor- 
diskt  Medic.  Arkiv,  IV. 
Extract  of  malt. — L.  W.  Jassoy  gives  the  following  directions  for 
preparing  a  malt  extract  superior  to  that  of  the  German  Pharmaco- 
poeia :  Coarsely  ground  malt  is  macerated  for  three  hours  with  its 
own  weight  of  cold  water,  and  then  digested  for  one  hour  at  a  tem- 
perature not  exceeding  65°  C.  (150°  F.)  After  straining  the  liquid 
through  a  sieve,  the  residue  is  boiled  for  fifteen  minutes  with  triple 
its  quantity  of  water,  allowed  to  cool  to  about  70°  C.  (160°  F.), 
strained,  and  the  two  liquids  mixed.  The  first  colature  contains 
much  active  diastase,  the  second  a  large  quantity  of  starch,  which, 
after  mixing  at  50-56°  C,  is  readily  converted  into  sugar.  On 
evaporating  with  slow  boiling,  the  dirty  scum  separates  albuminous 
matters,  and  the  clear  filtrate  yields,  on  evaporation,  an  excellent 
extract,  equal  to  from  75  to  85  per  cent,  of  the  malt. — N.  Jahrb.  f 
Pharm.,  1873,  March. 
Nitrate  of  potassium  in  Amarantus  Blitum. — Boutin  has  obtained 
from  the  dry  plant  8  per  cent,  carbonate,  corresponding  to  11*68 
