c^m.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Et  eb.,  i8So. 
Chemical  Notes. 
85 
brown  and  decompose,  are  dissolved  by  alcohol  or  boiling  water  readily^ 
although  very  slightly  in  cold  water.  Their  composition  is  CNH.  The 
body  dissolves  readily  in  acids  ;  with  hydrochloric  acid  it  yields  a  black 
hygroscopic  mass,  which  probably  possesses  the  composition  (CNH).> 
3HC1,3H20  The  solid  hydrocyanic  acid  changes  under  the  influence 
-of  the  air  and  moisture  into  new  products  containing  azulmin.  If  this 
latter  be  treated  with  warm  alcohol,  a  dirty-red  amorphous  powder  is 
extracted,  which  is  only  slightly  soluble  in  water,  but  dissolves  in 
alcohol  with  a  red  color,  and  has  the  formula  (CNHjgH^O. — Ibid.^ 
Aug.  4,  1879. 
Presence  of  Cumol  in  Pennsylvania  Petroleum. — Engler  made  the  inter- 
esting statement  to  the  German  Scientific  Association,  at  Baden-Baden, 
•that  about  0*2  per  cent,  of  cumol  is  contained  in  this  petroleum,  and 
that  this  small  amount  would  rievertheless  make  about  1,400,000  kilo- 
grams of  cumol  yearly  imported  into  Germany.  Petroleum  naphtha 
contained  at  least  this  amount,  also,  of  cumol.  The  determination  of 
this  hydrocarbon  was  made  as  tribromcumol,  of  which  specimens  in 
needles,  one  to  two  inches  in  length,  were  shown. — Ber.  der  Chem. 
>Ges.^  xii,  p.  2187. 
On  Glycyrrhizin. — Habermann  has  published  the  results  of  a  detailed 
tinvestigation  of  this  subject.  By  repeated  recrystallization  of  the  com- 
mercial glycyrrhizinum  ammoniacale  out  of  glacial  acetic  acid  and  strong 
alcohol,  he  obtained  the  acid  ammonium  salt  of  glycyrrhizic  acid, 
•C^jHggNOig.NH^,  in  slightly  colored  crystalline  plates.  This  salt  is 
very  easily  soluble  in  boiling  water,  insoluble  in  ether,  slightly  soluble 
'Only  in  absolute  alcohol  or  alcohol  of  more  than  90  per  cent,  in 
strength.  It  is  left,  on  evaporation  of  its  aqueous  or  weak  alcoholic 
solution,  as  an  amorphous  brittle  mass.  Small  amounts  of  alkalies 
increase  its  solubility  in  water  in  an  extraordinary  degree.  The  salts 
of  the  heavy  metals  produce  voluminous  precipitates  in  its  aqueous 
solutions.  Ordinary  nitric  acid  dissolves  it,  yielding  a  colorless  solution, 
but  when  heated  a  copious  evolution  of  gas  ensues  and  resinous  flocks 
separate  out.  Concentrated  sulphuric  acid  dissolves  it  with  orange-red 
color,  from  which  solution  water  precipitates  colorless  flocks.  It  pos- 
sesses an  intensely  sweet  taste  with  the  characteristic  after-taste,  which, 
however,  d'isajipears  more  and  more  as  it  is  purified.  The  glycyrrhizic 
acid  itself  is  a  tribasic  acid.  The  neutral  ammonium  glycyrrhizate  is 
a  clear-brown  amorphous  mass  of  unpleasantly  sweet  taste,  easily  solu- 
