A%Jo°vTi879arm"}    Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals,  555 
part  is  soluble  in  106  parts  of  ether,  free  from  water  and  alcohol,  at 
I4°C.  Its  most  characteristic  reactions  are,  first,  the  intense  red  color 
obtained  with  perchloric  acid  solution  ;  second,  with  concentrated 
sulphuric  acid  and  peroxide  of  lead  we  get  a  brown  color,  which  passes 
into  a  cherry  red.  If  potassium  bichromate  and  sulphuric  acid  be 
used  as  oxydizing  materials  we  obtain  a  brown  color,  which  slowly 
passes  into  an  olive-green  shade.  All  these  reations  are  very  similar  to 
those  obtained  under  corresponding  circumstances  with  the  strychnos- 
species,  which  aspidosspermia  resembles  strongly. — Ibid.,  p.  1560. 
Applied  Chemistry. — In  order  to  determine  whether  a  sample  of 
ammonia  has  been  obtained  from  the  commercial  liquors  of  the  gas 
works  or  nor,  put  in  a  test-tube  several  cubic  centimeters  of  colorless 
nitric  acid,  which  has  been  diluted  with  one-fourth  its  bulk  of  water,  and 
add  the  ammonia  drop  by  drop.  If  the  ammonia  contains  tarry  matter 
dissolved,  a  currant-red  color  is  produced,  owing  to  theanilinand  tolui- 
din,  and  the  heat  developed  at  the  same  time  makes  the  tarry  odor 
distinctly  recognizable. —  Chemiker  Zeitung,  1879,  No.  il. 
Beeswax  is  often  adulterated  with  ceresin,  carnauba  wax,  paraffin  or 
a  mixture  of  these  bodies.  To  detect  this  adulteration,  Buchner  deter- 
mines the  specific  gravity  of  the  wax  in  question.  Pure  beeswax  has 
a  specific  gravity  of  0*96,  or,  as  determined  by  others,  0*94  to  0*97,, 
while  all  of  the  above  named  adulterants  have  a  lower  specific  gravity- 
For  the  sake  of  simplicity,  alcohol  of  0*945  specific  gravity  is  taken,, 
and  the  sample  is  thrown  in  it.  If  the  wax  sinks  it  is  pure,  if  not  it  is- 
adulterated.  In  order  to  separate  the  mixture,  the  wax  is  saponified 
with  concentrated  alcoholic  potash  solution,  and  digested  for  a  consid- 
erable length  of  time  on  the  water-bath,  in  order  to  hinder  the  solidify- 
ing whereby  the  paraffin  separates  out. — Ibid.,  1879,  No.  12. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  Louis  von  Cotzhausen,  Ph.G. 
Decomposition  by  Solutions  of  Salts  and  by  Distilled  Water. 
— Filtering-paper,  however  pure  and  previously  well  washed,  communi- 
cates some  organic  matter  to  filtering  solutions  of  salts  and  to  pure 
distilled  water  (assisted  by  the  oxygen  and  carbonic  acid  of  the  atmos- 
phere). Cellulose,  acted  upon  by  diluted  acids  or  salts,  containing  oxygen 
in  aqueous  solutions  even  at  an  ordinary  temperature,  gradually  is 
