102  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {^""Feb-^iS*"""^' 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  John  A.  Martin,  Ph.G. 
Phihalate  of  moriyhine. — E.  Bombelon  recommends  phthalate  of 
morphine  as  the  morphine  salt  that  best  fulfils  the  requirements  of 
the  physician.  It  is  more  soluble  in  water  than  the- morphine  salts  of 
the  mineral  acids,  and  the  solutions  keep  for  a  long  time,  even  when 
very  dilute.  One  part  is  soluble  in  five  parts  of  water.  The  solu- 
tions are  perfectly  neutral,  and  do  not  produce  pain  when  used  for 
hypodermic  injections. 
To  obtain  a  pure  salt  an  absolutely  pure  phthalic  acid  must  be  used 
as  there  is  no  mother-water,  and  the  compound  does  not  crystallize,  but 
is  obtained  as  an  air-dry  varnish,  or  in  the  form  of  beautiful  transpa- 
rent scales. 
Hydrochlorate  of  morphine  is  precipitated  with  ammonia,  washed 
and  pressed,  the  alkaloid  morphine  dissolved  in  acetic  acid,  and  again 
precipitated  with  ammonia,  washed  and  pressed;  the  purified  mor- 
phine thus  obtained  is  added  in  small  quantities  at  a  time,  to  a  hot  so- 
lution of  phthalic  acid  as.  long  as  it  is  dissolved,  taking  care  to  add  a 
slight  excess  of  morphine.  When  the  solution  has  cooled,  filter  and 
evaporate  with  the  aid  of  a  gentle  heat  to  the  consistence  of  syrup ; 
pour  upon  heated  glass  plates  to  dry  and  scale. — Phar.  Zeitung,  1887, 
p.  488. 
Solution  of  indigo  for  writing  ink. — Inks  are  often  entirely  spoiled 
by  adding  a  solution  of  indigo  in  sulphuric  acid.  An  indigo  solution 
prepared  as  follows,  can  be  mixed  with  any  ink  without  injuring  it : 
powdered  indigo,  4  parts  ;  sulphuric  acid  (Nordhauspn),  1 6  parts  ; 
macerate  for  48  hours  with  occasional  shaking,  and  add :  powdered 
iron,  7  parts;  pyroligneous  acid,  5  parts;  distilled  water,  160  parts. 
Cincho7ia  hair  tonic. — Oil  of  rosemary,  oil  of  lemon,  each  1  part ; 
tannin,  tincture  of  cantharides,  each  2  parts;  balsam  of  Peru,  5  parts ; 
glycerin,  rose  water,  each,  20  parts ;  tincture  of  cinchona,  and  cologne 
water,  of  each  120  parts. 
Superior  cologne. — Oil  of  ylang-ylang,  1  part ;  oil  of  mignonette, 
oil  of  jasmin,  and  oil  of  lemon,  of  each,  2  parts ;  cherry-laurel  water, 
and  tincture  of  vanilla,  each,  3  parts  ;  triple  orange-flower  water,  100 
parts  ;  alcohol,  1000  parts.  The  mixture  should  be  warmed  by  plac- 
ing the  container  in  hot  water ;  then  let  it  stand  in  a  cool  place  for  a 
few  days  and  filter.  Warming  the  mixture  partly  replaces  distillation^ 
— M.  Fischer  in  Pharm.  Ztschr.  f.  Bussland,  1887,  p.  468. 
