138  Abstracts  from  the  French  Journals.  {"^^MiSfsfe""'- 
Unaccountably  the  sixth  does  not  show  as  complete  exhaustion  as  the 
others,  but  I  give  the  figures  as  obtained  to  show  the  freaks  as  they 
occur ;  but  I  believe  that  by  using  ordinary  wide  percolators  through- 
out the  series,  that  the  amount  of  extraction  in  the  first  or  reserved 
portion  would  show  better  results,  and  approximate  the  total  extrac- 
tion of  the  drug. 
Shaeox,  Pa.,  February  20,  1887.  Respectfully, 
A.  L.  Beck,  Ph.G. 
ABSTRACTS  FROM  THE  FRENCH  JOURNALS. 
Translated  for  the  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy. 
Cacao-coated  Pills. — The  butter  of  cacao  is  melted  with  gentle 
heat ;  the  pills  are  rapidly  agitated  in  it,  and  afterward  in  powdered 
starch,  in  which  they  are  left  to  cool.  The  covering  of  cacao  preserves 
the  components  of  the  pills  against  the  action  of  air  and  light,  and 
prevents  the  evaporation  of  volatile  substances.  J.  de  phar.  de  Lis- 
ban  ;  Bull.  gen.  de  therap.    January  15,  1888. 
Dexteix  as  ax  Adulteraxt  of  Exteacts. — Mr.  A.  Pannetier 
writes  in  the  J.  de  phar.  et  de  chim.  of  January  15,  1888,  that  sophis- 
tication of  this  kind  is  more  frequent  than  is  ordinarily  supposed. 
He  gives  the  following  method  of  testing  such  extracts.  Two  gm.  of 
the  substance  is  dissolved  with  trituration  in  50  gm.  of  cold  dis- 
tilled water  ;  and  5  gm.  of  liquid  sub-acetate  of  lead  are  added,  to 
precipitate  the  tannin,  gums,  alkaloids  and  coloring  matters.  The 
precipitate  is  then  washed  upon  a  filter  with  cold  distilled  water. 
The  filtered  liquor  re-united  to  the  water  used  in  the  washing,  con- 
tains the  excess  of  the  sub-acetate  of  lead,  certain  alkaline  salts  which 
the  extract  may  posses?  normally,  and  the  dextrin,  if  any  be  present. 
The  lead  is  then  disposed  of  with  sulphuric  acid  or  a  current  of  sul- 
phuretted hydrogen.  After  filtering  and  washing  the  lead  precipitate 
the  liquor  is  evaporated  to  a  fifth  of  its  volume.  Usually  it  is  not 
necessary  to  carry  the  evaporation  so  far ;  but  an  equal  bulk  of  alco- 
liol  of  96  per  cent,  must  be  added.  If  the  extract  is  not  adulterated 
the  liquid  remains  clear;  if  dextrin  be  present,  a  precipitate  goes 
down  formed  largely  of  dextrin  united  to  a  small  quantity  of  such 
alkaloids  as  are  insoluble  in  alcohol.    The  alkaloids  will  not  sensibly 
