'^"*Mari88?'''"'}  Gleanings  in  Materia  Medica.  267 
Constituents  of  Kino. — A.  Kremel  has  examined  Malabar  kino^ 
Butea  gum,  Eucalyptus  kino,  and  kino  from  Coccoloba  uvifera,  and 
found  them  all  free  from  kinoin  discovered  by  Etti,  (see  Ame7\  Jour. 
Pilar. y  1872,  p.  600);  instead  of  a  body  acquiring  like  kinoin,  a  red 
color  with  ferric  chloride,  protocatechuic  acid  was  obtained,  alone  or 
mixed  with  gallic  acid. 
The  presence  of  pyrocatechin  in  kino  has  been  observed  by  Eichstedt, 
Fliickiger,  and  others  (see  Amer.  Jour.  Phar.,  1872,  p.  210).  Preusse 
ascertained  that  pyrocatechin  is  extracted  by  ether  from  an  alkaline 
solution,  while  for  the  extraction  of  protocatechuic  acid,  the  solution 
requires  to  be  acidulated.  Following  this  process,  Kremel  proved  the 
absence  of  pyrocatechin  from  the  above  named  varieties  of  kino ;  the 
ether  residue  was  amorphous,  insoluble  in  hot  water  and  the  alcoholic 
solution  without  action  on  ferric  chloride.  But  from  the  acidulated 
solution  of  Malabar  and  eucalyptus  kino,  ether  took  up  a  crystallizable 
body,  of  acid  reaction  Avhich  in  aqueous  solution,  like  pyrocatechin 
was  colored  green  by  ferric  chloride;  sodium  bicarbonate  added  to> 
this  caused  a  violet  color;  the  crystals  were,  therefore,  protocatechuic 
acid. 
Butea  gum  and  coccoloba  kino  treated  in  the  same  manner  yielded 
crystals  of  neutral  reaction,  becoming  green  by  ferric  chloride,  but  on- 
the  further  addition  of  sodium  bicarbonate,  ferric  hydrate  was  precipi- 
tated. The  nature  of  these  crystals  could  not  be  determined  for  want 
of  material. 
The  different  kinds  of  eucalyptus  kino  examined,  yielded  from  ether,, 
besides  protocatechuic  acid,  also  a  body  the  aqueous  solution  of  which 
acquired  after  the  addition  of  sodium  carbonate,  gradually  an  emerald 
green  color,  which  on  the  addition  of  hydrochloric  -acid  turned  red  and 
finally  became  decolorized;  these  reactions  prove  the  presence  of 
gallic  acid. 
On  preparing  kinic  red  by  Etti's  process  from  eucalyptus  kino,, 
extracting  the  product  with  ether,  fusing  it  with  caustic  potassa,, 
dissolving  in  water,  acidulating  and  extracting  with  ether,  Kremel 
obtained  considerable  amount  of  protocatechuic  and  gallic  acid. — 
Phar.  Post,  1883,  No.  11. 
Mullein  Leaves  in  Pulmonary  Consumption. — The  leaves  of  Ver- 
bascum  Thapsus  are  popularly  used  in  Ireland,  in  consumption,  and 
the  plant  in  addition  to  growing  wild,  is  cultivated  in  gardens,, 
occasionally  on  a  rather  extensive  scale.  The  mullein  is  administered 
by  boiling  an  ounce  of  the  dried  leaves  or  a  corresponding  quantity  oF 
