176  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {^"^Jru^im''"' 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  John  A.  Martin,  Ph.  G. 
Phosphorus  Pills. — After  many  trials,  Mr.  Fischer  found  the  fol- 
lowing method  the  most  satisfactory  one  for  making  phosphorus  pills. 
Place  the  prescribed  amount  of  phosphorus  in  a  test  tube  containing  a 
small  quantity  of  chloroform  and  carefully  apply  heat  until  the  phos- 
phorus is  all  dissolved.  Add  the  solution  of  phosphorus  with  con- 
stant stirring  to  a  melted  mass  consisting  of  two  parts  yellow  wax  and 
two  parts  cacao  butter,  taking  care  to  keep  the  mixture  warm  until 
the  chloroform  is  all  expelled.  After  cooling  mix  the  mass  with  one 
part  of  carbonate  of  magnesium,  divide  into  the  required  number  of 
pills  and  coat  them  with  gelatin.  Pharm.  Zeitg.f.  Puss.  1887,  page 
674. 
Kefir  or  milk  wine. — Reeb  in  Journal  Ph.  d'Als.  Lorr.  gives  the 
following  improved  formula  :  To  fresh  milk  acidulated  with  a  small 
quantity  of  citric  acid,  add  two  per  cent,  of  simple  syrijp  and  shake 
the  mixture  vigorously  to  insure  more  active  fermentation.  Cork 
securely  in  strong  bottles  and  keep  them  undisturbed  in  a  warm 
place.  In  three  or  four  days  the  kefir  is  ready  for  use.  It  con- 
tains two  per  cent,  of  alcohol,  is  strongly  effervescent  and  possesses 
a  very  agreeable  bouquet.    Rundshau,  Prag,  1887,  pg.  998. 
Test  for  Acetanilid  (^Antifehrin). — Fliickiger  in  Ap.  Ztg.  recommends 
the  following  method  :  Two  centigrams  acetaniled  with  one  centigram 
caustic  potash  are  triturated  together,  first  wetting  with  a  little  chloro- 
form; the  mixture  is  at  once  placed  in  a  test  tube  and  very  gently 
heated.  The  mixture  becomes  brown  and  emits  the  very  peculiar 
smell  and  unmistakable  vapor  of  isocyanphenyl.  Punschau,  Prag, 
1887,  pg.  897. 
lo  destroy  plant  lice,  Heuschke  in  Berl.  Pharm.  Ztg.  recommends  the 
use  of  a  decoction  of  quassia  wood  in  which  green  soap  has  been  dis- 
solved. When  the  plants  are  besprinkled  with  this  solution  the  lice 
die  at  once  and  can  be  seen  upon  leaves  the  next  day  brown  and  dried 
up.  The  plants  are  not  in  any  way  injured.  Rundshau,  Prag,  1887, 
pg.  1001. 
To  decolorize  carbolic  acid  that  has  turned  red,  J.  Demont,  in  Der 
Fortschritt,  1887,  22,  recommends  to  melt  it  on  a  water  bath  and  mix 
89  parts  of  the  acid  with  11  parts  of  alcohol.  The  resulting  solution 
is  allowed  to  cool  and  when  the  greater  part,  has  crystallized  the  excess 
of  liquid  is  poured  off  and  the  crystals  are  well  drained.  The  crystals 
