444 
Progress  in  Pharmacy. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pbarra. 
1  September,  1905. 
good  for  some  drugs,  while  others,  particularly  peppermint  and 
lavender,  will  be  below  the  average. 
Rheum  Rhaponticum  in  Chinese  RJiubarb. — A.  Tschirch  {Schweiz. 
Wochensch.,  1905,  page  253)  describes  a  ready  method  for  detecting 
the  admixture  of  Rheum  haponticum  in  other  varieties  of  the  drug. 
This  method  depends  on  the  insolubility,  in  ether,  of  the  crystalline 
principle  rhaponticin  or  ponticin : 
Ten  grammes  of  the  suspected  powder  are  boiled  for  fifteen  min- 
utes with  50  c.c.  of  dilute  alcohol,  the  resulting  solution  is  then 
filtered  and  concentrated  to  10  c.c,  this  concentrated  solution  is  then 
mixed  with  10  or  15  c.c.  of  ether  and  allowed  to  stand.  If  rhapon- 
ticin is  present  this  will  be  precipitated  as  a  crystalline  deposit. 
Chinese  rhubarb  similarly  treated  gives  no  deposit. 
The  Constitution  of  Barbaloin — H.  A.  D.  Jowett  and  C.  E.  Potter 
have  commenced  an  investigation  of  disputed  points  in  connection 
with  the  constitution  and  the  empirical  formula  of  barbaloin.  They 
have  made  a  number  of  analyses  of  different  specimens  of  carefully 
purified  material,  as  a  result  of  which  they  propose  the  adoption  of 
Tilden's  formula  for  barbaloin,  C16H1807.  The  authors  have  been 
unable  to  confirm  a  number  of  statements  made  by  Leger,  in  1902, 
relating  to  barbaloin,  and  are  inclined  to  believe  with  O^sterle  that 
the  work  done  by  Tilden  (1872-1875)  more  nearly  indicates  the 
true  composition  of  this  substance.  [Chem.  and  Drug.,  1905,  page 
901.) 
Hydrastis. — In  Europe  this  rhizome  has  repeatedly  been  found  to 
be  contaminated,  and  in  some  cases  undoubtedly  wilfully  adulterated, 
by  the  admixture  of  one  or  more  of  the  following:  Aristolochia 
Serpentaria,  Leontice  thalictroides,  Stylophorum  diphyllum,  Jeffer- 
sonia  diphylla,  Trillium  sessiliflorum.  [Zeitschr.  d.  Allgem.  Oest. 
Apoth.  Ver.y  1905,  page  542.) 
Reliable  Qualitative  Test  for  Sugar. — J.  Strassburger  gives  the 
following  modification  of  W.  S.  Himes'  test  for  sugar  :  Two  grammes 
of  pure  cupric  sulphate  are  dissolved  in  15  c.c.  of  distilled  water, 
15  c.c.  of  glycerin  are  added,  and  the  whole  is  then  mixed  with 
150  c.c.  of  a  5  per  cent,  solution  of  potassium  hydrate.  For  use 
4  c.c.  of  this  solution  are  heated  to  boiling  and  a  few  drops  of  the 
suspicious  urine  are  added.  In  case  an  appreciable  amount  of  sugar 
is  present  the  characteristic  red  precipitate  is  promptly  produced. 
While  this  reagent  is  not  as  sensitive  as  Fehling's  solution  it  has 
