AMbetui,  i873RM'}  Gleanings  from  the  European  Journals,  447 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  EUROPEAN  JOURNALS. 
By  the  Editor. 
Analysis  of  Juniper  Berries. — E.  Donath  has  obtained  the  follow- 
ing results  :  water,  29-44  ;  volatile  oil,  0-91 ;  formic  acid,  1*86  ;  ace- 
tic acid,  0-94;  malic  acid  (in  combination),  0*21 ;  wax-like  fat,  0*64; 
green  resin  of  the  etherial  tincture,  8*46  ;  hard  brown  resin  of  the 
alcoholic  tincture,  1*29;  bitter  substance,  by  Steer  named  juniperin, 
1-37;  pectin,  0-73;  protein  compounds,  4*45;  cellulose,  15*83;  ashes, 
2>3Z.—Chem,  Centralbl,  1873,  No.  29,  from  Polyt.  Journ. 
Coloration  of  Ohloralhydrate  by  Oil  of  Peppermint. — On  bringing 
the  two  substances  in  contact,  a  reddish  color  is  soon  developed, 
which  gradually  darkens  to  cherry-red.  The  color  is  readily  soluble 
in  ether,  alcohol  and  chloroform ;  boiling  does  not  destroy  it ;  sul- 
phuric acid  heightens  its  intensity,  and,  if  now  chloroform  be  added, 
a  dark  violet  tint  is  produced.  The  oils  of  lemon,  bergamot,  juniper, 
crisped  mint,  rosemary,  cloves,  anise  and  fennel  do  not  produce  any 
coloration  with  chloralhydrate. — Archiv  d.  Pharm.,  1873,  July  29. 
Quercetin  in  Catechu  and  Quereitrin  in  Sumach. — Aqueous  solu- 
tions of  catechu,  on  being  agitated  with  ether,  yield  to  this  solvent 
quercetin,  which  may  be  obtained  pure  by  washing  the  etherial  ex- 
tract with  water,  dissolving  the  residue  in  strong  alcohol,  and  mixing 
this  solution  with  boiling  water.  All  varieties  of  catechu  contain  it, 
but  some  in  very  minute  proportion.  On  treating  the  alcoholic 
extract  of  sumach  with  water,  this  with  ether,  &c,  quereitrin  is  ob- 
tained.— Zeitschr.f.  Anal.  Chem.f  1873,  127. 
Balsam  of  Peru  Adulterated  with  Storax  has  been  met  with  by  H. 
Scbweikert.  Besides  the  spec,  gravity,  which  was  1*12  only,  there 
was  nothing  to  suggest  any  adulteration,  as  it  yielded,  like  the  pure 
balsam,  a  hard  resin  with  strong  sulphuric  acid,*  and  developed  no 
foreign  odor  on  being  warmed.  Distilled  with  solution  of  table  salt, 
little  alcohol  was  found  in  the  distillate,  but  oily  drops  which  smelled 
strongly  of  storax.  To  detect  such  an  adulteration,  the  author  sug- 
gests petroleum  benzin,  which  should  yield  a  clear  solution  with  pure 
balsam  of  Peru,  but  furnishes  a  turbid  mixture  with  alcoholic  solution 
of  storax. — Archiv  d.  Pharm.,  1873,  July,  53 — 55. 
lodo-arsenic  Acid. — Prof.  Silvestro  Zinno,  of  Naples,  has  prepared 
*  See  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy,  1873,  p.  353. 
