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GLEANINGS  FROM  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
GLEANINGS  FEOM  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  John  M.  Maisch. 
The  Volatile  Acids  of  Croton  Oil^  according  to  A.  Geuther, 
are  mainly  acetic,  butyric  and  valerianic  acids,  probably  some 
oenanthylic  acid,  and  of  the  oleic  series  perhaps  pyroterebinic 
and  higher  acids.  A  liquid  acid  CgHgO^  (Schlippe's  crotonic 
acid)  does  not  occur  in  croton  oil,  nor  is  its  solid  acid  identical 
with  angelicic  acid,  with  which,  however,  it  agrees  in  composi- 
tion, CiQlIgO^.  This  tiglinic  acid  constitutes  more  than  one- 
third  of  the  volatile  acids  of  croton  oil ;  it  fuses  at  64°  C,  and 
boils  at  201-1°  C,  while  angelicic  acid  fuses  at  45°  and  boils  at 
190°  C.—Zeitschr.f.  Chemie,  1870,  I,  26-28. 
Decomposition  of  Oxalic  Acid  in  Aqueous  Solutions.  Giov. 
Bizio  found  (II  nuovo  cim.  [2]  1-272)  that  0*4  grm.  oxalic  acid 
in  one  litre  of  water  is  gradually  oxidized  by  the  atmospheric 
oxygen  to  carbonic  acid,  while  more  concentrated  solutions  are 
permanent. — Ibid.  II,  52. 
Paper  from  Hop  Stems  is  made  at  a  factory  near  Marseilles, 
in  France  ;  it  is  of  an  agreeable  whiteness,  strong  and  soft. — 
Pharm.  Zeitg.,  1879,  N.  22. 
Liehig's  Infusion  of  Meat^  being  of  a  red  color,  is  very  soon 
disliked  by  the  patients  ;  by  filtration  it  becomes  of  a  pleasing 
appearance,  and  is  taken  for  a  much  longer  time  without  becom- 
ing repugnant ;  after  maceration  the  magma  is  thrown  upon  a 
filter,  a  little  more  of  meat  and  water  having  been  used. — Ibid, 
Adulteration  of  Saffron.  Herseus  noticed  about  9  years  ago 
an  adulteration  of  (5  cwt.)  saffron  with  12  per  cent,  chalk  and 
4  per  cent,  honey,  and  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  Spanish 
saffron  is  sometimes  met  with  adulteratad  by  honey,  sometimes 
by  honey  and  chalk.  Honey  causes  the  saffron,  when  pressed 
in  the  warm  hand,  to  cake  together  and  become  sticky  ;  chalk  is 
readily  observed  on  throwing  the  saffron  into  water,  when  the 
chalk  subsides.— Tftoem's  V.  ScJir.,  1870,  91,92. 
Myrobalans  are  recommended  by  R.  Hennig  for  the  prepara- 
tion of  tannin.  They  are  about  one-fourth  to  one-third  the  price 
of  Chinese,  and  one-eighth  to  one-sixth  the  price  of  Aleppo 
galls.    The  former  yield  45,  the  next  75  and  the  last  65  per 
