Am,  Jour.  Pharm, 
Sept.,  1888 
Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals. 
455 
Glycerin  and  borax. — The  effervescence  caused  on  admixture  of 
glycerin,  borax  or  boric  acid  and  sodium  bicarbonate  or  carbonate  has 
led  Dr.  Carl  Jehn  to  make  some  experiments,  the  results  of  which  show 
that  not  only  glycerin  but  all  polyatomic  alcohols  and  aldehydes  con- 
taining as  many  hydroxyl  groups  as  there  are  carbon  atoms  in  the 
formula  will  do  the  same.  So  erythrite  CJI^qO^,  mannite  CgHi^Og 
melampyrite  (dulcite)  CgH^^Og  as  alcohols,  and  glucose,  Isevulose  and 
galactose,  CgHigOg  as  aldehydes  will  give  the  reaction.  Quercite  CqHi2 
O5,  saccharose  and  lactose  C^2^22^m  glycogen  CgH^oOg  did  not 
start  the  reaction.  An  explanation  of  the  reaction  is  not  offered.  See 
paper  by  W.  R.  Dunstan,  in  Amer.  Jour.  Pharm.,  1883,  447-456. 
Arch.  Pharm.,  1888,  495. 
Creasote  is  best  administered  by  mixing  with  considerable  cacao- 
butter,  to  absorb  the  creasote  completely,  and  making  into  pills. 
—Rundsch.,  1888,  555. 
Cantharidal  Camphor- Chloral  proposed  as  a  substitute  for  canthar- 
idal  collodion  by  Boni  (Arch,  de  Pharm.),  is  prepared  of  camphor  20  ; 
chloral- hydrate  30;  powdered  cantharides  10.  Melt  the  camphor 
and  chloral  by  heating  to  60°,  add  the  cantharides  and,  with  constant 
stirring,  maintain  for  some  time  at  60°-70°.  Filter  and  preserve  in 
closely  stopped  bottles. — Pharm.  Ztg.,  1888,  421. 
Powdered  Rosin. — H.  Hager  in  Pharm.  Ztg.,  1888,  p.  420,  calls 
attention  to  the  liability  to  spontaneous  combustion  of  this  article. 
In  the  case  mentioned  sufficient  heat  had  been  generated  to  cause  the 
greater  part  of  the  powder  to  reform  a  solid  mass,  although  the  tem- 
perature of  the  room  was  only  18°-19°  C. 
A.  Reinhardt,  page  437  of  Pharm.  Ztg.,  records  a  similar  case.  It 
is  advisable  to  keep  the  powder  in  tin  boxes  with  tight  fitting  covers, 
so  as  to  prevent  as  much  as  possible  contact  with  the  air,  oxidation 
being  the  cause  of  the  rise  in  temperature. 
Lycopodium  examined  by  Langer,  contains  moisture,  7  per  cent. ; 
ash,  1*15  per  cent.,  chiefly  phosphates;  cane  sugar,  2*1  per  cent.; 
nitrogen,  0'857  per  cent. ;  fixed  oil,  49*34  per  cent.,  which  when  fresh  is 
neutral,  easily  becoming  acid,  composed  of  80  to  86  per  cent,  a-decyl-6 
isopropylacrylic  acid  with  possibly  a  little  myristic  acid,  glycerin, 
2'8  to  5*2  per  cent,  of  the  oil.  Alcohol  macerated  with  lycopodium 
at  ordinary  temperature  for  14  days,  is  oxidized  to  aldehyde. — Rdsch.y 
1888,  p.  580. 
An  explosive  mixture  if  not  properly  compounded:  nitric  acid,  5  0; 
