'^"^'Nov!!'i88a'^™*}     Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  555 
yielded  6.65  per  cent,  of  extract,  consisting  of  1.98  per  cent,  of  albumen 
and  4.67  per  cent,  of  phlobaphene. 
A  2  per  cent,  solution  of  hydrochloric  acid  extracted  0.920  per  cent, 
of  extractive  matter. 
The  drug  was  then  boiled  with  dilute  sulphuric  acid  to  convert 
all  the  starch  present  into  glucose;  it  amounted  to  7.425  per  cent. 
The  residue  on  being  treated  with  chlorine  and  chlorine  water  lost 
3.66  per  cent,  in  weight  due  to  the  amount  of  lignin  dissolved.  Treatment 
with  nitric  acid  (sp.  gr.  1*16)  and  chlorate  of  potassium,  dissolved 
0*980  per  cent,  of  intercellular  substance.  The  residue  consisting  of 
cellulose  amounted  to  32.440  per  cent. 
Another  portion  of  the  drug  yielded  7.25  of  moisture  and  2.38  per 
cent,  of  ash. 
Distillations  of  fresh  portions  of  the  drug  with  lime  and  with  sul- 
phuric acid  yielded  nothing  of  importance. 
From  all  the  tests  applied  in  the  foregoing,  the  conclusion  is  reached 
that  there  is  saponin  or  an  allied  substance  present  in  considerable 
quantity.  Upon  agitation  of  the  aqueous  solution,  the  characteristic 
froth  of  saponin  was  produced  and  the  acrid  taste  which  characterizes 
this  principle  was  plainly  apparent  to  the  taste,  but  all  efforts  made  to 
separate  above  principle  in  a  crystalline  state  were  fruitless. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  Frank  X.  Moeek,  Ph.  G. 
Conium  Fruit  Extracts. — The  alkaloidal  determination  presents  so 
many  obstacles  that  for  it  was  substituted  the  amount  of  precipitate 
caused  by  Mayer's  reagent  in  an  acidulated  aqueous  extract,  every  cc. 
reagent  representing  0*0138  gm.  In  the  U.  S.  extract  correction  had 
to  be  made  for  the  glycerin  which  reduces  the  quantity  of  Mayer's 
reagent. 
Authority. 
Yield  of 
Extr.  from 
drug. 
Solid  mat- 
ter in  Ex- 
tract. 
Precipitated  Substance  calculated  in 
per  cent,  for 
Percent- 
age of  pre- 
cipitable 
substance 
extracted. 
Normal 
Extract. 
Dry  Extr. 
Material. 
0-495 
0269 
0-494 
0-421 
0-494 
100-0  . 
54-3 
99  9 
85-2 
99-9 
Extr.  Gall  
"     U.  S  
10-8 
15-2 
10-4 
94-8 
81-4 
2-  491 
8-255 
3-  970 
0  538 
3-057 
"  Intern  
"     Fl.,  U.  S 
73-3 
11-6 
5-416 
4-655 
