Ato'ctober,Pi9oi!m'}    Recent  Literature  Relating  to  Pharmacy.  481 
There  is  not  a  single  druggist  in  the  business  to-day  who  does 
not  know  these  facts  perfectly  well,  but  many  are  careless  about 
putting  their  theoretical  knowledge  to  practical  use,  and  it  is  only 
with  a  view  of  reminding  them  of  the  possible  consequences  of  inat- 
tention to  such  details,  that  the  foregoing  paper  is  offered. 
RECENT  LITERATURE  RELATING  TO  PHARMACY. 
ASSAY  OF  PHOSPHORUS  IN  OILS. 
After  trying  all  suggested  methods  the  following  was  found  most 
satisfactory. 
Thirty  c.c.  oil  is  treated  with  three  times  its  volume  of  ether  and 
to  the  solution  8  to  12  c.c.  of  a  10  per  cent,  alcoholic  solution  silver 
nitrate  is  added  and  the  mixture  well  shaken,  The  precipitate  is 
thrown  on  an  asbestos  filter,  washed  with  ether,  transferred  to  a 
flask.  After  dissipation  of  the  adhering  ether,  by  warming  in 
vacuo,  a  mixture  consisting  of  10  c.c.  concentrated  nitric  acid,  10 
c.c.  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  and  10  c.c.  water  is  added  to  the 
residue  and  the  mixture  allowed  to  stand  an  hour.  It  is  then 
gently  warmed  until  red-brown  vapors  cease,  filtered,  precipitated 
with  ammonium  molybdate,  precipitate  dissolved  in  ammonia 
water  and  finally  assayed  for  phosphates  by  the  usual  magnesia- 
mixture  method.  Practising  on  known  quantities  of  phosphorus, 
the  yield  was  90  per  cent,  of  the  theoretical. — (Dr.  H.  Franckel, 
Ph.  Post,  1901,  117).  H.  V.  Arny. 
ANATOMICAL  COMPARISON  OF  BERBERIS  BARKS. 
After  lengthy  histological  description  of  the  bark  of  Berberis 
aristata,  with  comparisons  to  the  bark  of  other  species  of  Berberis, 
W.  Mitlacher  (Ph.  Post,  1901,  129),  finds  but  slight  differences  in 
their  anatomy.  Berberis  vulgaris  and  B.  aquifolium  have  more  pro- 
nounced sclerotization  of  the  medullary  rays  than  has  B.  aristata. 
In  the  barks  of  both  B.  aristata  and  B.  aquifolium,  hard  bast  is  lack- 
ing in  the  phloem  ;  thus  distinguishing  these  two  from  B.  vulgaris. 
The  most  prominent  marks  of  distinction  of  B.  aristata  are ; 
preponderance  of  sieve  tubes  over  parenchyma  in  the  soft  bast ; 
presence  of  crystals  of  calcium  oxalate  in  the  medullary  rays, 
their  quantity  being  in  direct  proportion  to  the  amount  of  sclerotiza- 
tion of  the  same  tissue;  extreme  breadth  of  medullary  rays; 
absence  of  interfascicular  wood.  H.  V.  A. 
