504 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  FRENCH  JOURNALS. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  FRENCH  JOURNALS. 
Niauli  of  New  Caledonia. — This  is  a  species  of  myrtle  of  the 
genus  Melaleuca,  probably  viridiflora  of  botanists.  The  tree  is 
very  common  in  New  Caledonia,  and  its  leaves  are  said  to  pos- 
sess medicinal  properties.  According  to  the  Abbe  Montrouzier, 
Cure'  of  Layta,  in  that  country,  the  natives  employ  the  leaves  to 
remove  the  impurities  of  water.  It  is  also  used  to  improve  the 
taste  of  liquors,  and  when  the  young  leaves  are  dried  they  are 
used  as  a  substitute  for  tea.  An  apothecary  of  Sidney  sells  a 
specific  for  rheumatism  which  is  said  to  be  made  of  this  plant. 
If  physicians  find  any  real  virtues  in  this  plant  it  will  be  a  source 
of  advantage  to  the  colony. — Jour,  de  Pharm.,  Sept. 
Cadmiate  of  Potassa. — M.  Stanislaus  Meunier  states  that  he  has 
obtained  a  crystallized  compound  of  oxide  of  cadmium  and  potassa, 
Having  ascertained  that  melted  potassa  would  dissolve  oxide  of 
cadmium,  a  lye  of  potassa  was  thrown  into  the  melted  mixture 
from  time  to  time,  which  caused  the  precipitation  of  a  white 
powder  which  is  soon  redissolved.  When  this  is  continued,  a 
period  arrives  when  the  precipitate  ceases  to  be  redissolved, 
when,  by  slow  cooling,  the  mass  is  nearly  entirely  transformed 
into  little  crystals  of  hydrate  of  potassa.  There  is,  neverthe- 
less, at  the  bottom  of  the  vessel  a  deposit  of  a  white  matter  and 
crystals  resting  in  an  excess  of  alkaline  lye.  These  are  separated 
and  dried  on  paper  with  care.  The  author  has  not  thoroughly 
investigated  this  compound. — Jour,  de  Pharm.,  176,  Sept.,  1866. 
Cafetannie  Acid. — -M.  Hlasiwetz  finds  this  acid  to  be  a  gluco- 
side  consisting  of  glucose  and  erystallizable  acid,  C18H1608,  that 
the  author  calls  cafeic  acid.  This  new  acid  is  allied  to  ferulic 
acid  previously  discovered  in  assafcetida. 
Carminic  Acid,  according  to  MM.  Hlasiwetz  and  Grabowsky, 
is  also  a  glucoside,  resolved  by  ebullition  in  diluted  sulphuric 
acid  into  glucose  and  carmine  red.  Melted  with  hydrated 
potassa,  carmine  red  forms  a  new  erystallizable  compound  called 
by  the  authors  coccinin.  This  is  in  yellow  lamellated  crystals, 
remarkable  by  the  beautiful  colorations  it  produces  with  different 
reagents. — Jour,  de  Pharm.,  Sept. 
Physiological  Effects  of  the  Nitrate  of  Methyl  Strychnia.  By 
