466  Gleanings  from  the  Foreign  Journals.    { A%Jc^8P76arm' 
phate,  until  it  has  nearly  the  composition  represented  by  the  formula 
2(Fe203P05)+(3NaO,C12H5On),  which  requires  28*57  Per  cent-  °f 
ferric  oxide. 
The  taste  of  the  solution  is  slightly  saline,  not  in  the  least  ferru- 
ginous ;  by  the  addition  of  citric  acid  it  becomes  agreeably  acidulous. 
The  aqueous  solution  passes  completely  through  parchment  paper  and 
animal  membrane,  which  is  not  the  case  with  the  soluble  saccharated 
oxide  of  iron  and  the  ferrum  dialysatum.  The  two  preparations  named 
have  been  completely  superseded  in  the  children's  hospital  of  St. 
Petersburg  by  the  soluble  phosphate  mentioned. — Phar.  Zeitschr.  f. 
Russl.,  No.  10. 
Detection  of  Alkaloids. — A.  Cazeneuve  recommends  to  mix  the  pow- 
dered and  moistened  material  with  half  its  weight  of  slaked  lime,  and 
to  dry  one-half  of  the  mixture  in  the  water-bath,  the  other  half  by  ex- 
posure to  the  air.  Each  portion  is  then  separately  treated  with  ether, 
and  a  portion  of  each  etherial  solution  evaporated  spontaneously  ;  the 
residues  are  examined  by  the  microscope,  and  by  dissolving  in  acidu- 
lated water. 
Other  portions  of  the  etherial  liquids  are  tested  with  an  etherial 
solution  of  oxalic  acid,  whereby  many  alkaloids  are  precipitated  as 
oxalates  insoluble  in  ether,  but  dissolving  again  on  the  addition  of 
water.  If  combinations  of  lime  with  fatty  or  resinous  acids  were 
present  in  the  ether,  the  precipitate  will  be  insoluble  in  water. 
It  must  not  be  overlooked  that  other  principles  besides  many  alka- 
loids are  soluble  in  ether. — four,  de  Phar.  et  de  Chim.,  1876,  p.  201. 
Raffinose,  a  new  saccharine  substance,  has  been  obtained  by  D. 
Loiseau  in  his  investigations  of  molasses.  It  forms  white  crystals,  is 
nearly  insoluble  at  200  C.  in  90  per  cent,  alcohol,  dissolves  at  the  same 
temperature  in  7  parts  of  water,  but  at  8o°  C.  in  all  proportions.  It 
has  a  greater  rotating  power  than  sugar  (100  :  159),  and  loses  at  ioo°  C. 
(2I2°F.)  15-1  per  cent,  of  water;  its  formula  seems  to  be  C18H32016 
-f-5H2G.— Phar.  Cent.  Halle,  No.  33. 
Detection  of  Nitroben%ol  in  Oil  of  Bitter  Almonds,  etc. — Jacquemin 
uses  for  this  purpose  a  solution  of  stannous  chloride  in  caustic  soda. 
If  a  few  drops  of  the  suspected  liquid  are  added  to  this  alkaline  solu- 
tion, sufficient  anilin  is  formed  to  produce  the  blue  color  of  erythro- 
phenylate  of  sodium,  after  the  addition  of  one  drop  of  phenol  and  a 
little  hypochlorite  of  sodium.  —  Chem.  Centralblatt,  No.  28,  from  Jour, 
de  Phar.  et  de  Chim. 
