AseJpn;  I™'}  Toxicological  Detection  of  Phosphorus.  415 
hydrochloric  acid,  is  also  interesting.  According  to  an  analysis  by 
Dr.  Krremer,  of  Berlin,  it  is  a  mixture  of  chlorides  of  ethylene  and 
ethylidene,  both  of  which  are  employed  in  medicine.  The  chloride  of 
ethylidene  was  also  introduced  by  Dr.  Liebreich  as  an  anaesthetic- 
These  liquids  are  separated  by  fractional  distillation  in  the  usual 
manner  in  copper  retorts.  The  free  hydrochloric  acid  contained  in 
them  must,  of  course,  be  neutralized  with  soda  or  potash,  and  the 
liquids  dried  over  chloride  of  calcium.  Although  their  boiling  points 
differ  by  23°  C,  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  absolutely  separate  large- 
quantities  of  them. 
The  next  and  last  by-product  is  the  sulphuric  acid  used  in  expell- 
ing the  hydrochloric  acid.  This  is  sold  at  a  low  price  for  use  in  other 
manufactories  where  its  impurities  do  no  harm,  as,  for  instance,  in 
making  soda  water. — Journ.  of  Applied  Chemistry,  August,  1873. 
TOXICOLOGICAL  DETECTION  OF  PHOSPHORUS. 
By  Prof.  G.  Dragendorff. 
We  extract  the  following  from  a  notice  of  Dragendorff' s  "  Manual 
of  Toxicology  "  :  The  detection  of  phosphorus  can  be  effected  by  two 
methods  :  we  either  seek  to  isolate  it  as  such,  or  at  least  to  exhibit  its 
luminous  properties  ;  or,  we  endeavor  to  find  its  products  of  oxida- 
tion other  than  phosphoric  acid  (which,  of  course,  is  naturally  present 
in  the  animal  body).  Mitscherlich's  procedure  is  based  upon  the  iso- 
lation of  the  phosphorus  by  distillation  and  the  exhibition  of  its  pe- 
culiar light.  The  suspected  fluids  are  diluted,  if  needful,  with  water, 
and  the  homogeneous  mixture  introduced  into  a  flask  of  sufficient  size. 
Sulphuric  acid  is  then  added.  The  flask  is  closed  with  a  cork,  through 
which  passes  a  tube  bent  twice  at  right  angles,  2  or  3  centimetres  in 
diameter  and  5  or  6  long,  and  communicating  with  a  Liebig's  con- 
denser of  glass.  Heat  is  then  applied  to  the  flask,  and  the  process  of 
distillation  carried  on  in  a  darkened  room.  Luminous  vapors  appear 
in  the  flask  as  soon  as  the  liquid  is  in  ebullition.  These  vapors  grad- 
ually ascend  the  tube,  and  become  almost  permanent  at  the  spot  where 
the  first  drops  of  watery  vapor  condense.  Fresenius  and  Neubauer 
have  recognized  these  luminous  vapors  for  half  an  hour  with  a  solu- 
tion containing  1  milligrm.  of  phosphorus  diluted  to  200,000  parts. 
Husemann  and  Marme  introduced  1  c.c.  of  phosphuretted  oil  into  the 
stomach  of  a  rabbit,  and  obtained  distinct  luminous  indications  from 
