358 
Permanganate  of  Potassium. 
j  Am.  Jour.  Pharm 
t      July,  1883. 
The  first  mentioned  crystallizable  substance,  for  wliich  the  name 
cinchocerotin  may  be  retained,  forms  wliite,  very  light,  crystalline 
scales,  which,  when  heated  upon  platinum-foil,  bums  without  any 
remarkable  odor.  The  melting  point  is  at  130°  C. ;  when  more 
strongly  heated,  it  partially  sublimes  with  decomposition  ;  if,  however, 
carefully  heated  in  a  current  of  carbonic  acid,  it  sublimes  without 
decomposition.  It  dissolves  readily  in  ether,  chloroform  and  alcohol,  but 
does  not  dissolve  by  boiling  with  water,  hydrochloric,  dilute  sulphuric, 
and  glacial  acetic  acids.  By  boiling  with  a  solution  of  carbonate  of 
sodium  or  caustic  soda  it  is  not  attacked,  and  also  not  by  alcoholic 
soda;  with  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  it  gives  a  reddish-brown 
solution.  By  the  action  of  nitric  acid  it  is  converted  into  a  yellow 
resinous-like  body ;  and  by  the  action  of  bromine  a  brown,  uncrystal- 
lizable  substance  was  obtained.  When  melted  with  potassium  hydrate, 
cinchocerotin  becomes  yellow,  but  does  not  mix  therewith,  and  when 
more  strongly  heated  it  volatilizes  partially  with  decomposition. 
The  analysis  of  cinchocerotin  afforded  numbers  corresponding  to  the 
formula  C27H48O2.  By  oxidation  with  potassium  bichromate  and 
sulphuric  acid  a  green  liquid  and  a  green  precipitate  were  obtained. 
In  the  liquid,  by  distillation,  acetic  and  butyric  acids  were  detected ; 
from  the  green  precipitate  by  solution  in  caustic  soda  and  supersatura- 
tion  with  an  acid,  a  yellow  precipitate  was  obtained,  which,  when 
washed,  and  dissolved  in  alcohol,  had  an  acid  re-action,  and  afforded 
upon  the  evaporation  of  the  solution  small,  wart-like  crystals,  which 
may  be  designated  as  cinchocerotinic  acid.  After  recrystallization  the 
acid  melted  at  72°  C.,  and  afforded  upon  analysis  numbers  correspond- 
ing to  the  empirical  formula  Q^^22^2' 
From  the  above  results  it  is  manifest  that  cinchocerotin  is  not  a 
wax  or  a  fat,  and  undoubtedly  possesses  a  very  high  molecular 
weight.  To  conclude  from  its  properties  and  its  occurrence,  the 
author  believes  it  capable  of  being  classified  in  the  neighborhood  of 
betulin  and  cerin. 
Permanganate  of  Potassium  was  recommended  in  diabetes  by 
Sampson,  as  long  ago  as  1853  (London  Lancet),  and  has  been  again  tried 
by  Massin  within  the  past  two  years,  with  success  in  some  instances  and 
complete  failure  in  others.  He  conjectures  that  its  influence  is  probably 
exerted  on  the  liver,  as  manganese  is  eliminated  by  that  organ,  and  even 
small  doses  injected  under  the  skin  cause  fatty  degeneration  of  it.  He  ha& 
observed  that  manganese  is  especially  useful  in  those  cases  in  which  there 
is  hepatic  engorgement.—  Weekly  Med.  Bev.^  May  5,  1883. 
