Am  jour  Pharm.  >     Scientific  and  Technical  Abstracts. 
Dec,  1921.        S  3 
875 
The  Reaction  of  Baljet  ;  Identification  of  Digitalis  Glu- 
cosides. — The  reagent  consists  of  equal  parts  of  1  per  cent,  alco- 
holic picric  acid,  and  10  per  cent,  sodium  hydroxide  free  from  car- 
bonate. In  the  presence  of  glucosides  it  gives  a  red  or  orange  color 
due  to  isopurpuric  acid.  The  reaction  is  apparently  due  to  the  pres- 
ence of  a  lactone  group.  Wischo  concludes  that  this  reaction  can- 
not be  used  for  the  quantitative  determination  of  digitalis  glucosides 
because  the  different  glucosides  in  digitalis  galenicals  give  colors  of 
variable  intensity.  The  strophanthin  colors  are  constant. —  (Ff. 
Wischo.,  Zeit.  d.  allg.  oesterr.  Apoth.  Verein.,  v.  35  [1921].) 
J.  F.  C. 
Cinchophen,  Tolysin  and  Renal  Excretion. — Phenylchin- 
choninic  acid  and  the  methyl  ester  of  p-methylphenylcinchoninic  acid 
(tolysin)  exercise  a  general  stimulating  effect  on  kidney  excretion. 
The  action  is  most  marked  in  the  case  of  uric  acid,  but  it  is  possible 
to  demonstrate  a  similar  action  in  the  case  of  urea  and  chlorides, 
provided  cases  are  selected  with  a  slightly  high  blood  concentration 
of  these  substances. —  (Myers  and  Killian,  /.  Pharmacol.  Exp.  Ther., 
18,  p.  213  [1921].) 
J.  F.  C. 
Detection  of  Veronal  and  Veronal  Derivatives. — Veronal 
and  its  derivates  may  be  detected  in  the  urine  or  intestinal  contents 
when  it  is  present  in  very  small  amounts  by  the  following  pro- 
cedure. Two  ml.  of  the  urine  are  shaken  out  with  2  ml.  of  ether, 
the  ether  is  separated  and  evaporated  on  a  watch  glass  when  veronal, 
if  present,  is  left  in  rings  which,  under  the  microscope,  are  seen  to 
consist  of  needle-shaped  crystals.  The  identification  may  be  checked 
by  adding  a  few  drops  of  a  solution  of  mercuric  oxide  in  2.5  parts 
of  nitric  acid. —  (Zimmermann.,  Apoth.  Ztg.,  v.  35,  p.  382  [1921].) 
J.  F.  C. 
Odorless  Petroleum. — This  may  be  prepared  by  adding  100 
gm.  of  chloride  of  lime  to  4.5  litres  of  petroleum  and  shaking.  The 
excess  of  chlorine  may  be  removed  by  pouring  off  the  oil  onto 
quicklime,  shaking,  letting  settle  and  pouring  off  the  clear  oil. — 1 
{Pharm.  Post,  v.  54,  p.  175  [1921].) 
J.  F.  C. 
