^""june^^js?™'}  Gleanings  from  the  European  Journals.  267 
catechu  or  kino.  It  is  possible,  but  not  proven,  that  the  extract  of 
rhatany  exported  from  Peru  is  adulterated  there.  Subacetate  of  lead 
produced  with  the  extracts  of  rhatany  dark-red  precipitates,  except  with 
those  imported  from  Peru,  with  which  the  precipitates  were  pale,  pur- 
plish-red.— Ann.  d.  Chemie^  vol.  176,  p.  64-70. 
Refrigerating  Mixtures  of  Snow  and  Sulphuric  Acid. — Prot.  D.  L» 
Pfaundler  has  instituted  a  series  of  investigations  on  this  subject,  from 
which  it  follows,  that  an  acid  containing  66' 19  per  cent.  H2SO4  is  the 
most  advantageous  for  the  purpose  ;  i  part  of  it  with  1*097  P^i'^s  of 
snow  will  reduce  the  temperature  to  — 37°C.  ( — 30'6^F.),  but  for  prac- 
tical purposes  an  excess  of  snow  will  be  better,  since  the  refrigerating 
value  of  the  mixture  is  thereby  largely  increased,  though  the  lowest 
temperature  is  not  attained. — Anzeig.  K.  Akad.  d.  JViss.  Wien.^  1875^ 
No.  9. 
On  the  Coagulation  of  Albumen. — Gautier's  results  agree  with  those  of 
Urbain,  according  to  which  albumen,  which  has  been  deprived  of  its 
gases  in  a  vacuum,  and  diluted  with  8  to  10  parts  of  water,  is  scarcely 
coagulated  at  the  boiling  temperature  ;  but  is  modified  so  that  it  is  pre- 
cipitated even  in  the  cold  by  the  weakest  acids  and  dissolved  again  by 
an  excess  thereof. — Chem.  Centralbl.  1875,  No.  11,  from  Bull.  Soc\ 
Chem.  Paris.     See,  also,  Amer.  four.  Phar.  1874,  p.  361. 
Cauterizing  pencils  of  sulphate  of  copper  are  best  prepared,  according 
to  W.  StefFen,  by  heating  the  crystals  slowly  in  a  porcelain  dish,  stir- 
ring constantly.  The  salt  fuses  at  first  and  after  a  short  time  acquires  a 
pasty  consistence  ;  the  plastic  mass  is  now  rolled  out  upon  a  warm  board 
or  plate,  like  a  pill  mass,  into  any  desired  form,  thickness  or  length. 
Such  pencils  may  be  kept  for  years  and  can  be  pointed  like  a  lead  pen- 
cil. Pencils  of  alum  and  of  a  mixture  of  alum  and  sulphate  of  copper 
may  be  made  in  the  same  manner.  After  a  few  trials  the  proper  degree 
of  consistency  is  easily  attained. — Phar.  Centralh.  1875,  No.  11. 
Salicylic  acid  becomes  more  soluble  in  water  *  and  its  antiseptic  and 
disinfecting  properties  are  considerably  increased  by  combining  it  with 
*  Mr.  Fred.  Toussaint,  of  New  York,  informs  us  that  ammonium  phosphate  in- 
creases the  solubility  of  an  equal  weight  of  salicylic  acid  in  water  and  glycerin,. 
Ten  grains  each  of  salicylic  acid  and  ammonium  phosphate  yield  with  a  mixture  of 
2  drachms  each  of  water  and  glycerin  a  permanent  solution  5  also  15  grains  each  of 
the  two  former  with  2  drachms  of  water  and  4  of  glycerin. — Editor  Amer.  Jour. 
Phar. 
