,302  Gleanings  from  the  European  Journals,  {^""jiy^'is^js^'""" 
alcohol,  till  the  percolate  measures  15 J  ozs.,  then  add  the  oils  to  h  oz. 
alcohol,  dissolve  and  mix  with  the  percolate.    This  makes  a  beautiful 
reddish-brown  colored  and  very  palatable  preparation,  each  teaspoonful 
of  which  represents  the  active  constituents  of  15  grains  of  paullinia. 
Potts^ilUj  Pa.,  May,  1875. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  EUROPEAN  JOURNALS. 
BY  THE  EDITOR. 
Clarification  of  Alcoholic  Solution  of  Shellac. — One  part  of  shellac  yields, 
with  6  parts  of  90  per  cent,  alcohol,  a  solution  which  is  turbid  from 
suspended  wax.  If  the  solution  is  agitated  with  6  parts  of  powdered 
chalk,  the  greater  portion  becomes  transparent,  and  the  white  sediment 
is  readily  filtered  through  paper  or  felt.  If  three  parts  of  the  turbid 
shellac  solution  are  agitated  with  one  part  of  petroleum  benzin,  the 
mixture  soon  separates  into  a  light-colored  benzin  solution  of  wax,  and 
into  a  clear,  yellowish-brown  solution  of  shellac  in  alcohol.  Shellac 
thus  purified,  is  left  behind,  on  the  evaporation  of  the  alcohol,  as  a 
brittle  mass  ;  but  on  adding  to  the  alcoholic  liquid  from  one  to  three 
per  cent,  of  Venice  turpentine,  no  brittleness  is  observable. — Phar. 
Cent.  Halle.,  1875,  No.  17,  from  Phar.  Zeit.  f  Russl. 
Removal  of  Fusel  Oil  and  Clarification  of  Liquors. — Franz  Plattner 
has  patented,  in  Germany,  the  following  process  for  the  above  purpose  : 
8  litres  of  the  liquor,  tincture,  elixir,  etc.,  are  agitated  for  a  while 
with  a  mixture  of  30  grams  pure  starch,  15  grams  finely-powdered 
albumen  and  15  grams  of  powdered  milk-sugar.  After  24  hours  the 
liquid  will  be  found  free  from  all  fusel  oil,  of  a  brilliant  transparency, 
and  greatly  improved  in  taste. — Ihid..,  from  Polyt.  Notizbl. 
Amheryellow  {Anactinic^  Glass  is  extensively  used  in  Europe,  for  the 
preservation  of  salts  of  silver,  mercury,  etc.,  as  well  as  for  the  windows 
of  photographers'  dark  closets.  Such  a  glass  is  obtained  handsomer 
and  more  brilliant  in  color  than  by  metallic  oxides,  by  the  use  of  cow- 
dung,  in  the  proportion  of  60  parts  of  the  mixture  for  colorless  glass 
to  one  part  of  dried  and  sifted  cowdung. — Ibid..^  No.  19,  from  Sprechsaal 
f.  d.  Glas-u.  Thonw.-Ind. 
Oil  of  Orris  {Odeum  Iridis  Florentines)  was,  until  receently,  man- 
ufactured in  Paris,  and  at  present  by  Schimmel  &  Co.,  of  Leipzig. 
According  to  Hager  it  has  the  following  properties  :    At  the  ordinary 
