^"MSch.S."""'}     Abstracts  from  the  French  Journals.  139 
affect  a  calculation  as  to  the  amount  of  dextrin  present,  but  the  dex- 
trin may  be  turned  into  glucose  and  calculated  as  such,  if  considered 
desirable. 
MoRCHELLA  ESCULENTA,  AND  Helvellic  Acid. — The  analysis 
of  Bostrom  and  Ponfich  demonstrated  that  the  morel  (morille,  French, 
Iforchel,  German),  contains  a  principle  which  is  poisonous  for  man 
and  for  several  of  the  mammalia.  Boehm  and  Kulz  have  succeeded 
in  isolating  the  substance  after  a  very  long,  very  costly  and  sufficiently 
complicated  proceeding  based  upon  its  solubility  in  water,  alcohol  and 
ether.  The  process  is  briefly  described  as  follows  :  Take  5  kilograms 
of  the  morchella  and  treat  with  10  kilograms  of  absolute  alcohol; 
evaporate  the  alcohol  and  treat  with  absolute  ether.  Evaporate  a 
second  time  and  digest  with  absolute  alcohol ;  decant,  evaporate  and 
treat  Avith  water.  This  liquid,  evaporated  in  vacuo  over  sulphuric 
acid,  gives  an  acid  syrup  which  represents  the  pure  toxic  substance. 
The  salt  of  barium  (CisHigBaOy),  appears  in  the  form  of  white  flakes 
insoluble  in  absolute  alcohol.  The  experimenters  have  named  the 
substance  helvellic  acid.  But  they  have  not  found  a  characteristic 
chemical  reaction  for  it.    /.  de  phar.  et  de  chim.,  Jan.  15,  1888. 
Oil  of  Panicum. — In  exhausting  millet  seed  with  ether  we  obtain 
a  clear,  yellow  acid  oil  of  an  agreeable  odor,  and  which  easily  deposits 
crystals.  The  liquid  portion  of  the  oil  treated  with  oxide  of  lead  does 
not  produce  glycerin;  it  gives  a  salt  of  lead  soluble  in  ether,  and 
which  appears  to  be  a  linoleate  of  lead  ;  and  also  a  solid  substance  in- 
soluble in  ether,  soluble  in  boiling  alcohol,  and  fusible  at  69°  C, 
which  has  not  been  analyzed.  The  crystals  which  deposit  spontane- 
ously in  the  oil  are  sparingly  soluble  in  ether,  alcohol  and  Avater,  and 
very  soluble  in  chloroform,  sulphuret  of  carbon  and  benzin.  They 
belong  to  the  orthorhombic  system  and  melt  at  285°  C.  They  are 
inactive  under  polarized  light,  and  their  formula  is  C13  H20  O.  This 
body,  called  by  Mr.  Kassner,  panhol  is  not  an  alcohol ;  at  least  it 
does  not  furnish  a  derivative  with  acetic  anhydride  or  chloride  of 
acetyl.  Heated  to  165°  C.  with  hydriodic  acid  it  decomposes  into 
two  products  Avhose  properties  have  not  been  fully  studied. — Bull,  de 
la  Soc.  ch.;  V  Union  phar.  Jan.,  1888. 
Hygrophila  spinosa. — This  plant,  according  to  researches  by 
Jayesingha  (/.  de  phar.  c?'  Anvers),  is  very  valuable  for  the  treatment 
of  dropsy.  It  is  a  powerful  diuretic,  Avhich  may  be  used  in  infusions 
of  62  gm.  of  the  hygrophila,  to  568  gm.  of  boiling  water  ;  to  be  taken 
