^"'seXiSy^s!'^"''}  Gleanings  from  the  European  Journals.  399 
a  red  coloration,  which  gradually  passes  into  brown  ;  at  the  same  time 
vapors  are  evolved  which  have  the  odor  of  tar.  Muriatic  acid  will 
cause  a  red,  and  sulphuric  acid  a  dark-brown  coloration,  with  such 
ammonia  ;  but  the  test  with  nitric  acid  is  more  delicate.  Kupfferschla- 
ger. — Ihid..^  No.  24. 
Bleaching  of  Sponges. — R.  G.  recommends  to  remove  the  lime  by 
immersing  the  sponges  in  muriatic  acid,  and,  after  washing  them  with 
water,  to  dip  them  for  five  or  ten  minutes  into  a  solution  of  one  part  of 
permanganate  of  potassium  or  sodium  in  forty-five  of  water.  The 
sponges  have  now  a  brown  color,  due  to  precipitated  manganic  oxide^ 
which  is  removed  by  very  diluted  sulphuric  acid,  or,  preferably,  by  a 
solution  of  one  part  of  oxalic  acid  in  fifty  of  water  to  which  a  little 
sulphuric  acid  has  been  added. — Zeitschr.  d.  Oster.  Jpoth.  Ver..^  1875, 
No.  19. 
The  Innocuous  Properties  of  some  Aconites. — The  statement  on  page  8 
of  "  Fllickiger  &  Hanbury's  Pharmacographia,"  that  the  poisonous 
qualities  of  Aconitum  napellus  are  not  developed  in  certain  localities, 
forms  the  subject  of  an  interesting  essay  by  Prof.  C.  D.  von  SchrofF. 
According  to  his  views,  the  poisonous  properties  of  aconite  (and  other 
plants)  are  not  materially  aff^ected  when  growing  wild  in  different  local- 
ities, provided  the  position  be  a  natural  one.  In  Lapland,  the  leaves 
of  Aconitum  septentrionale^  Koelle,  which  may  be  regarded  as  a  variety 
with  blue  flowers  of  A.  lycoctonum^  Lin.,  are  used  as  a  pot-herb  ;  Schroff, 
Jr.,  obtained  (1871)  from  the  root  of  the  Norwegian  A.  septentrionale^ 
a  very  poisonous  bitter  alkaloid,  while  the  herb  contains  the  same  prin- 
ciple in  such  a  minute  quantity  that  it  cannot  be  regarded  as  poisonous, 
except  in  very  large  quantities.  Ac.  lycoctonum  shows  the  same  relation 
of  the  root  and  herb. 
Hooker  states,  in  his  "  Flora  of  British  India,"  that  the  roots  of 
Aconitum  multifidum  and  Ac.  rotundifolium  are  eatable  \  and  Royle  de- 
scribes the  former  plant  as  being  allied  to  Ac.  anthora.,  the  root  of 
which  was  formerly  medicinally  used  as  a  tonic.  Aconite,  it  appears 
from  these  accounts,  does  not  become  innocuous  when  growing  in  par- 
ticular localities  ;  but  the  root  and  herb  of  some  species  of  Aconitum 
are  destitute  of  poisonous  properties. — Ibid..,  Nos.  19  and  20. 
A  New  Insect  Powder. — Ledum  palustre.,  Lin.,  in  its  fresh  and  dried 
state  destroys  insects,  and  the  tincture,  externally  applied,  allays  the 
itching  and  pain  produced  by  the  stings  of  insects  ;  it  should  be  col- 
lected while  in  bloom. — Ihid..^  No.  21. 
