Am.  Jour.  Pharm.) 
April,  1901.  J 
Recent  Literature  Relating  to  Pharmacy. 
197 
Veratrine. — Iodo-eosin,  hematoxylin,  cochineal,  lacmoid. 
The  low  acid  values  are  due  to  partial  dissociation  of  the  alkaloidal 
sulphate  in  aqueous  solutions,  a  part  of  the  acid  belonging  to  the 
alkaloidal  salt  being  neutralized  by  the  alkali,  while  the  free  base 
separates  out  or  remains  dissolved  in  the  colloidal  state.  In  disso- 
ciations of  this  kind  the  base  may  not  combine  with  the  indicator, 
because  of  the  relative  instability  of  the  indicator-alkaloid  com- 
pound, which  is  especially  the  case  if  the  indicator  is  a  weak  acid 
and  the  alkaloid  is  a  weak  base.  Fairly  good  results  may  be 
obtained  with  a  feebly  acid  indicator  and  a  strongly  basic  alkaloid; 
the  reverse,  however,  will  not  hold  good.  High  acid  values  are  gen- 
erally obtained  with  methyl  and  ethyl-orange  and  Congo  red  in  the 
titration  of  quinine  and  sparteine.  These  are  due  to  compounds  of 
the  indicator  and  the  alkaloid,  formed  in  solution,  which  require  a 
considerable  excess  of  acid  to  decompose. — (C.  Kippenberger,  Ztsch. 
anal.  Chem.,  39,  201.)  L.  F.  Kebler. 
"  STRENGTHENING      FLOURS  FROM  RUSSIA. 
Within  recent  years  there  have  been  introduced  into  France  from 
Russia  several  brands  of  flour  for  the  purpose  of  improving  and  in- 
creasing the  value  and  yield  of  bread  made  from  flours  deficient  in 
gluten.  The  following  results  were  obtained  by  Balland  (Comp. 
rend.t  131,  545)  on  the  analyses  of  thre-e  brands  : 
Constituents. 
Water  
Nitrogenous  matter 
Patty  matter  .... 
Amylaceous  matter 
Cellulose  
Ash  ........ 
Gluten,  moist   .  .  . 
Gluten,  dry    .  .  .  . 
Total  nitrogen  .  .  . 
Acidity  
"  Champion.' 
9-90 
29-48 
r6o 
58-22 
0-20 
o-6o 
82-80 
29*  10 
4717 
0*073 
Hercules. 
10-70 
22-11 
i"45 
64-94 
0-25 
o*55 
64-50 
22'0O 
3'537 
0-065 
11  00 
16-43 
I'20 
70-65 
0-27 
o'45 
46-40 
i6'oo 
2-628 
0-065 
The  above  analyses  indicate  that  these  strengthening  flours " 
are  simply  mixtures  of  wheat  and  gluten  flours.  Their  addition  to 
over-bolted  flours  is  undoubtedly  valuable,  in  that  it  makes  good 
