244     .  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals,  {^'^-Aly]\m^'''^' 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  John  A.  Martin,  Ph.  G. 
Sulphobenzoate  of  Sodium  recommended  as  an  antiseptic  dressing  for 
wounds,  is  prepared  by  dissolving  benzoic  acid  in  a  concentrated  solution 
of  sulphite  of  sodium.  The  compound  is  very  soluble  in  ^v^ater,  and  is  an 
antiseptic  worthy  of  notice  on  account  of  its  entirely  non-poisonous 
and  odorless  character.  A  four  per  cent,  or  five  per  cent,  solution  in 
water  used  as  a  lotion  or  dressing  for  wounds  acts  not  only  as  a  disin- 
fectant, but  also  hastens  granulation. — Rundschau^  Frag,  1888,  p.  13. 
Test  for  the  Purity  of  Cocaine. — Dissolve  1  gm.  of  hydrochlorate 
of  cocaine  in  5  gm.  of  water  and  add  to  the  clear  solution  3  drops  of 
diluted  sulphuric  acid,  (Fhar.  Ger.  II.)  Now  add  1  drop  of  a  one  per 
cent,  solution  of  permanganate  of  potassium.  The  violet  color  of  the 
solution  must  remain  plainly  visible  for  half  an  hour;  an  impure 
cocaine  salt  will  at  once  decolorize  one  or  more  drops  of  the  perman- 
ganate solution.  It  is  necessary  to  have  the  vessel  in  which  the  test 
is  made  well  covered,  to  protect  the  solution  from  dust. — C.  F.  Boeh- 
ringer,  in  Pharm.  Post,  1888,  p.  136. 
Guarana. — To  ascertain  the  amount  of  caifeine  in  guarana.  A, 
Kremel  recommends  the  following  method :  Digest  10  gm.  of 
powdered  guarana  with  100  gm.  of  25  per  cent,  alcohol,  in  a  tared 
flask  on  a  water  bath,  for  1  or  2  hours.  After  cooling  replace  the 
loss  of  weight  with  25  per  cent,  alcohol,  thoroughly  shake  the  mix- 
ture, and  filter  off  50  grams.  Add  a  sufficient  quantity  of  slaked  lime 
to  the  filtrate,  and  evaporate  to  dryness  in  a  porcelain  capsule.  The 
residue  is  reduced  to  fine  powder  and  extracted  with  chloroform. 
Upon  evaporating  the  chloroform  solution  the  cafPeine  is  obtained  in 
absolutely  colorless  crystals.  The  crystals  are  dried  at  100°  C.  and 
weighed.  By  this  method  guarana  of  commerce  yields  from  3*12  to 
3 "80  per  cent,  of  pure  caifeine. — Pharm.  Post,  1888,  page  101. 
Adulteration  of  Cod-liver  Oil — Professor  Poel  of  St.  Petersburg  re- 
ports an  adulteration  of  cod-liver  oil  with  50  per  cent,  of  mineral  oil, 
and  although  it  contained  this  large  amount  of  mineral  oil  suspicion 
was  not  aroused  by  the  appearance  or  taste.  The  stools  of  patients 
had  the  odor  of  petroleum,  and  this  led  to  the  discovery. —  Wratch; 
Pharm.  Post,  1888,  page  37. 
Santonin  Lozenges. — A  correspondent  to  Journ.  de  Pharm.  d^Anvers, 
made  an  examination  of  several  samples  of  santonin  lozenges,  obtained 
principally  from  the  lozenge  manufacturers  of  Belgium.    The  process 
