250        Recent  Literature  Relating  to  Pharmacy.     {Am  May^'is98arm' 
the  constituents  of  Indian  hemp,  the  authors  have  prepared  the  sub- 
stance  in  this  way,  and  have  also  obtained  it  by  the  action  of  fuming 
nitric  acid  on  the  "  cannabinol "  isolated  by  Messrs.  Wood,  Spivey 
and  Easterfield  {Trans. ,  1896,  69,  544)  from  the  "  charas  "  or  resin 
of  Indian  hemp. 
When  quite  pure,  oxycannabin  crystallizes  in  colorless  needles, 
melting  at  1820  ;  it  is  insoluble  in.  water,  but  soluble  in  hot  alcohol, 
crystallizing  out  on  cooling.  It  sublimes  when  gently  heated,  and 
may  be  easily  purified  in  this  way.  On  combustion,  the  substance 
gives  numbers  agreeing  with  those  required  by  the  formula 
C10H10NO4. 
It  does  not  dissolve  in  aqueous  alkalis  unless  warmed  with  them 
in  a  closed  tube.  By  acidifying  the  resulting  solution  an  acid  is 
precipitated,  which  is  at  present  under  investigation.  "  Qxycanna- 
bin  "  would,  therefore,  appear  to  be  a  lactone. 
On  reduction  with  hydriodic  acid,  or  with  tin  and  hydrochloric 
acid,  oxycannabin  furnishes  a  volatile  amine.  The  hydrochloride  of 
this  base,  though  itself  unstable,  gives  a  well-crystallized  platini- 
chloride. 
When  heated  with  zinc  dust,  oxycannabin  gives  off  a  large  amount 
of  an  inflammable  gas  (probably  methane),  and  a  quantity  of  an 
aromatic  hydrocarbon  is  produced,  which  forms  a  well-crystallized 
compound  with  picric  acid. 
By  the  action  of  nitric  acid  on  cannabinol,  normal  butyric  acid  was 
also  produced,  together  with  oxalic  acid. 
As  the  substance  is  thus  proved  to  be  a  nitro-compound,  the  name 
"  oxycannabin  "  is  inappropriate,  but  it  would  be  premature  to  pro- 
pose a  new  name  until  more  is  known  about  the  constitution  of  the 
compound. 
In  the  course  of  purifying  cannabinol  through  the  acetyl  deriva- 
tive mentioned  by  Messrs.  Wood,  Spivey  and  Easterfield,  the  acetyl 
derivative  was  obtained  in  colorless  crystals  melting  at  75 °,  and 
which  corresponded  in  composition  to  the  formula  C18H23AcO* 
The  dry  distillation  of  sawdust  is,  according  to  the  British  Consul  at  Chris- 
tiana, one  of  the  latest  enterprises  in  Norway.  The  products  are  acetic  acid, 
wood  naptha (methyl  alcohol)  and  tar.  A  factory  has  been  started  at  Fredrik- 
stad  capable  of  distilling  to,ooo  tons  of  sawdust  during  the  year,  and  also  of 
manufacturing  charcoal  briquettes,  which  are  exported  to  the  Netherlands. 
The  acids  are  chiefly  placed  on  the  German  market,  while  the  tar  is  mostly 
consumed  at  home.— Journal  of  the  Society  of  Chemical  Industry,  January  31 
1898. 
