^68  Gleanings  from  the  European  Journals,  {^"jJS'xfy';""- 
sulphite  of  sodium  ;  2  parts  of  the  latter,  and  i  part  of  salicylic  acid 
yield  with  50  parts  of  water  a  clear  solution,  which  according  to  M. 
Rozsnyay,  does  not  irritate  wounds  and  preserves  milk  for  a  much  longer 
period  than  a  solution  of  salicylic  acid  with  sodium  phosphate. — Ibid.^ 
No.  13. 
Neutral  tannate  of  quin'ia  is  obtained,  according  to  M.  Rozsnyay,  by 
dissolving  the  quinia  sulphate  in  boiling  water  without  the  aid  of  acid 
and  adding  thereto  the  tannin  solution  neutralized  with  some  largely 
diluted  ammonia  ;  thus  prepared  it  is  entirely  tasteless  and  more  soluble 
m  the  stomach  than  that  ordinarily  met  with.  One  part  of  sulphate 
yields  2*5  parts  of  tannate  of  quinia. — Ihid. 
To  distinguish  petroleum  benzin  from  benzol^  Pusch  uses  a  little  iodine, 
which  dissolves  in  coal-tar  benzin  (benzol)  with  a  violet-red,  and  in 
petroleum  benzin  with  a  raspberry-red  color,  the  latter  being  so  preva- 
lent that  the  addition  of  a  small  quantity  of  petroleum  benzin  to  benzol 
can  thus  be  readily  detected. — Ibid.^  No.  16. 
Testing  Oil  of  Chinese  Cinnamon. — To  detect  adulterations  with  fixed 
oils,  rosin  oil,  &c.,  Hager  recommends  to  agitate  it  with  an  equal  vol- 
ume of  petroleum  benzin,  which  yields  a  turbid  mixture  becoming 
clear  in  several  hours.  Petroleum  benzin  dissolves  at  5°  to  10°  C.  (41° 
to  50°  F.)  nothing,  at  the  ordinary  temperature  not  over  2  per  cent,  of 
the  volume  of  oil  of  cinnamon  cassia,  the  adulterations  mentioned  being 
soluble  in  that  menstruum.  The  pure  oil  evaporated  at  a  temperature 
between  240°  and  250°  C.  (464°  and  482°  F.)  leaves  a  residue  weighing 
35  to  40  per  cent,  consisting  of  oxidation  products  and  cinnamic  acid. 
—Ibid. 
New  Crystalline  Principle  in  Ivy.,  Hedera  Helix.,  Lin. — On  concentrat- 
ing the  alcoholic  tincture  of  the  leaves,  a  principle  is  separated, 
accprding  to  Dr.  F.  A  Hartsen,  which  is  purified  by  re-crystallizing  from 
boiling  alcohol  and  washing  with  benzin  and  cold  water.  It  consists  of 
microscopical  scales,  which  are  easily  soluble  in  hot  alcohol,  but  with 
difficulty  in  cold  alcohol,  ether  and  benzin  ;  the  aqueous  solution  is 
strongly  frothing.  Warm  water  takes  up  from  it  15*5  per  cent,  of 
sugar,  and  by  boiling  with  diluted  sulphuric  acid  33  to  38  per  cent,  of 
sugar  are  formed.  This  principle  appears  to  be  a  glucoside. — Achiv  d, 
Phar..,  1875,  April,  p.  299. 
