696 
Current  Literature. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
October,  19 19. 
presence  of  chloroform,  toluol  or  sodium  fluoride.  Experiments 
with  fungi  and  bacteria  have  shown  that  neither  Aspergillus  nor 
Pencillium  splits  up  cocaine  with  formation  of  an  oil  with  a  basic 
reaction,  probably  pyrrol  derivation ;  in  no  case,  however,  was  ben- 
zoic acid  produced ;  bacteria,  on  the  other  hand,  readily  do  so. 
Neither  fungus  produces  apomorphine  from  morphine.  Apomor- 
phine  hydrochloride  yields  by  oxidation  with  dilute  solution  of  potas- 
sium ferricyanide  a  substance  soluble  in  benzol  with  production  of 
an  intense  amethyst-violet  color ;  this  is  an  exceedingly  delicate  test 
for  apomorphine.  By  a  rather  lengthy  process  (details  in  the  orig- 
inal), an  oxidation  product  was  obtained  in  absolutely  black  crystals 
soluble  in  chloroform  with  intense  violet  color  similar  to  that  pro- 
duced when  an  apomorphine  solution  is  carefully  oxidized  with 
potassium  bichromate  and  shaken  with  chloroform.  (E.  Winter- 
stem,  Schweis.  Apoth.  Ztg.,  57,  133.  From  The  Pharm.  Jour,  and 
Pharmacist,  July  5,  1919.) 
Determination  of  Acids  in  Gastric  Juice. — Binet  and  Verpy 
describe  a  technic  which  is  based  on  Gaultier's  simplification  of 
Robin's  modification  of  Topfer's  method.  They  commend  the  sim- 
plicity and  the  rapidity  of  the  technic.  It  shows  by  three  changes  of 
tint  in  the  one  specimen  of  gastric  juice  in  the  single  tube  the  con- 
tent in  the  gastric  juice  of  the  hydrochloric  acid,  of  the  acids  of  fer- 
mentation, and  of  the  total  acidity.  This  is  accomplished  by  adding 
a  0.548  per  cent,  solution  of  soda  (137  Cc.  of  normal  sodium  hy- 
droxid  with  water  to  1  liter).  The  tube  of  1.5  Cm.  caliber  is  grad- 
uated in  tenths  of  cubic  centimeters  to  a  height  of  15  Cc.  above  the 
first  mark,  which  represents  a  capacity  of  5  Cc.  Two  other  reagents 
are  required :  a  2  per  cent,  alcoholic  solution  of  phenolphthalein, 
and  Topfer's  reagent,  which  is  a  0.5  per  cent,  alcoholic  solution  of 
dimethylamidoazobenzol.  The  filtered  gastric  juice  is  poured  into 
the  tube  to  the  5  Cc.  mark;  then  one  drop  of  the  phenolphthalein 
solution  and  one  drop  of  the  Topfer.  If  there  is  free  hydrochloric 
acid  present,  the  fluid  turns  a  cherry  red.  Then  with  a  dropper  the 
titrated  solution  of  soda  is  added,  agitating  at  each  drop,  until  the 
fluid  turns  the  color  of  mandarin  orange  juice.  This  indicates  sat- 
uration of  the  HC1  and  the  figure  marked  on  the  tube  represents  the 
weight  of  free  HC1  in  a  liter  of  gastric  juice.  The  soda  solution  is 
added  further,  drop  by  drop,  until  the  tint  veers  to  a  distinct  yellow. 
The  figure  representing  the  free  HC1  is  then  subtracted  from  the 
