352  j^|g   Gleanings  from  the  European  Journals.  {A\i°™iFm£"' 
drop  of  a  solution  of  tannin  is  mixed  with  1  c.  c.  of  TJ^  normal  so- 
lution of  iodine  the  iodine  color  disappears  instantly,  gallic  and  hy- 
driodic  acids  being  formed.  The  iodine  solution  may  be  weaker, 
but  must  not  be  stronger,  so  that  it  is  completely  decolorized.  If 
one  drop  of  ammonia  is  now  added,  previously  diluted  to  one-tenth 
its  strength,  or  in  place  of  it  1  c.  c.  of  water  having  a  very  faint  al- 
kaline reaction,  a  brilliant  red  color,  appearing  carmine  in  reflected 
light,  is  produced,  which  remains  unchanged  for  some  time.  This 
reaction  is  much  more  delicate  than  that  produced  by  concentrated 
alkalies  upon  tannic  or  gallic  acids,  because  the  color  is  quite  char- 
acteristic, and  the  liquid  does  not  become  darker,  as  in  the  absence  of 
iodine. — Ibid.,  from  Zeitsehr.  f.  Chemie. 
Constituents  of  cubebs.* — C.  P.  Schulze  has  again  examined  the 
officinal  cubebs,  and  arrived  at  results  differing  somewhat  from  those 
obtained  by  Bernatzik  and  Schmidt.  The  composition  of  cubebic 
acid  was  found  to  be  HOjC^H^Oy,  of  its  crystallized  soda  salt  NaO, 
CggH^Oy+^HO.  The  brown  neutral  resin  could  not  be  obtained  in 
crystals ;  it  is  of  pilular  consistence,  softens  readily,  is  easily  solu- 
ble in  ether  and  chloroform,  but  with  difficulty  in  alcohol.  Concen- 
trated sulphuric  acid  forms  with  it  a  dirty  brown  mixture,  which,  on 
the  addition  of  nitric  acid,  becomes  purple,  then  violet,  and  finally 
brown.  After  continued  exposure  of  the  mixture  to  the  air  the  col- 
oration produced  is  not  as  bright  and  distinct. — Archiv  d.  Pharm., 
1873,  May,  388-395. 
Soft  soap  is  frequently  adulterated.  According  to  J.  B.  Oster,  the 
microscope  detects  these  adulterations  very  readily,  silicates,  silicic 
acid,  alumina,  ruptured  starch  granules,  &c.  being  plainly  visible. — 
Pharm.  Cent.  Halle,  1873,  No.  22. 
Ozonized  water,  made  by  Krebs,  Kroll  &  Co.,  of  Berlin,  has  been 
again  examined  by  Dr.  Behrens,  of  Kiel,  and  by  Dr.  0.  Jacobsen, 
both  arriving  at  the  conclusion  that  the  examined  water  contained  a 
little  hypochlorous  acid. —  Wittst.  Viert.  Schr.,  1873,  230. 
These  results,  together  with  those  obtained  by  Prof.  Boettger  (Am. 
Journ.  Pharmacy,  1872,  105)  seem  to  indicate  that  the  so-called  ozone 
water  of  the  above  firm  is  not  always  of  the  same  composition  ;  at  any 
*  See  also  Amer.  Journal  of  Pharmacy,  1870,  222. 
