MISCELLANY. 
77 
powdered nux vomica. If diluted nitric acid be applied to the powder 
or to strychnia, and to these be added some finely powdered oxide of 
manganese and afterwards a few drops of oil of vitriol, a dark -blue 
colour is instantaneously produced : but it soon changes to violet, then 
to pink, and at last to yellow. On heatingthe mixture the phenomena 
occur much more rapidly. With brucia, morphia, narcotina, and 
quina no change was produced ; and with strychnia, the blue, violet, 
and red colours could not be produced when chlorate of potash was 
substituted for peroxide of manganese ; because, probably, the chlorine 
effects other changes in the organic matter, not oxidizing, but rather 
dehydrogenizing it. — Pharm. Jour, from Buchncr's Repertorium. 
Test for Strychnine. — Instead of the brown peroxide of lead, Prof. 
Otto recommends a very minute quantity of a solution of chromate of 
potash. This immediately produces, when added to the solution of 
the strychnine in concentrated sulphuric acid, the splendid violet 
colour, which is far more distinct and beautiful than on the addition of 
the brown peroxide of lead. — Chem. Gaz. 
On the formation of Lactic Acid. By H. Wackenroder. — The author 
had previously announced that he had succeeded in converting sugar 
of milk into lactic acid by means of vegetable albumen; he returns to 
the subject in the present notice, in which he also describes the use 
of animal albumen for the same purpose. The conversion of milk 
sugar by other proteine compounds than caseine is interesting in many 
respects; but this question would acquire far more importance were it 
to change into certainty the presumption that every kind of sugar is 
susceptible of being converted in the same manner into lactic acid, 
and that this acid is generated whenever the alcoholic fermentation of 
the sugar or the conversion of the gum, principally of the dextrine, has 
failed. The author thinks that the fiee acid of beer, which is gene- 
rally considered to be malic acid, is lactic acid; and according to the 
researches in which he is at present engaged, this acid not only oc- 
curs in the beers which have done fermenting, but the fresh wash, and 
even the malt itself, contains a certain quantity. 
To ascertain the action of vegetable albumen on milk sugar, the 
juice of several planls separated from the chlorophyile was placed in 
contact for several weeks with milk sugar, and some powdered car- 
bonate of lime, at a temperature of about 68° F., stirring it frequently. 
In all these experiments lactate of lime was obtained, which was very 
easily purified. 
The resemblance of animal albumen to vegetable albumen induced 
the author to employ also the former, in order to effect the metamor- 
