^"sepris^s.^"""'}  Gleanings  from  the  European  Journals.  397 
By  maceration  with  cold  water,  6'5  per  cent,  of  dry  extract  is  ob- 
tained, which  is  readily  soluble  in  water,  but  by  percolation  a  larger 
amount  (8'5  per  cent.)  of  extract,  which  is  less  soluble  in  water.  The 
first  third  portion  of  the  percolate  deposits,  on  standing,  an  abundant 
precipitate,  from  which  a  notable  proportion  of  catechin  may  be  sep- 
arated ;  the  last  two-thirds  of  the  percolate  remain  clear  on  standing. 
Alcohol  of  85  per  cent,  dissolves  much  catechin  and  yields  a  car- 
mine-red extract. 
When  the  aqueous  extract  is  dissolved  in  hot  water,  neutral  acetate 
of  lead  yields  a  colored  precipitate,  from  which,  by  treatment  with 
sulphuretted  hydrogen,  catechu-tannic  acid  is  obtained,  and  an  acid 
principle  of  a  carmine  color,  insoluble  in  water,  but  soluble  in  alcohol 
and  alkalies.  After  the  removal  of  the  colored  principles  by  sugar  of 
lead,  subacetate  of  lead  gives  a  white  precipitate,  which,  by  treatment 
with  sulphuretted  hydrogen,  filtering  and  concentrating  in  a  current  of 
carbonic  acid  gas,  yields  catechin  having  the  composition  C2oHjgOg,H20 
and  the  properties  as  ascertained  by  Zwenger.  It  appears  from  the 
above  that  the  extract  of  mahogany-wood  has  the  same  composition  as 
catechu,  and  may  probably  be  used  as  a  substitute  for  the  latter. — Ibid.^ 
pp.  417-421. 
Vrochloralic  Acid  is  the  name  given  by  Musculus  and  De  Merme  to 
a  constituent  of  the  urine  after  chloral  hydrate  has  been  taken.  The 
concentrated  urine  is  treated  with  some  muriatic  or  sulphuric  acid,  and 
then  agitated  with  alcoholic  ether,which  dissolves  the  new  acid.  This  has 
a  strong  rotatory  power  to  the  left,  crystallizes  in  stellate  groups  of  needles 
after  the  complete  removal  of  the  nitrogenated  compounds,  has  a  strong 
acid  reaction  and  decomposes  the  carbonates  with  effervescence  ;  it  is 
freely  soluble  in  water  and  alcohol,  less  in  alcoholic  ether,  and  nearly  in- 
soluble in  pure  ether.  At  the  boiling  temperature  it  reduces  alkaline  so- 
lutions of  copper  and  bismuth,  also  silver  salts  and  decolorizes  sulphate 
of  indigo.  It  is  easily  decomposed  by  heat,  becoming  yellow  at  100° 
C.  (212°  F.).  Crystalline  salts  of  potassium,  sodium  and  copper  have 
been  obtained,  the  barium  salt  is  amorphous  ;  all  are  soluble  in  water 
and  insoluble  in  absolute  alcohol. — Ibid.^  pp.  422-424. 
Ferrated  Cod-liver  Oil. — C.  Bernbeck  proposes  for  this  purpose  to 
prepare  oleinate  of  iron  which  may  be  kept  for  a  long  time  without 
alteration.  A  pure  olive  oil  soap,  the  neutral  behavior  of  which  has 
been  previously  ascertained  by  moistening  it  with  some  solution  of  cor- 
