^'^Fir.^sso^'"'" }  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals,  Sy 
titative  determination  with  phosphomolybdic  acid  in  the  presence  or  tree 
hydrochloric  acid. — Ibid,^  p.  2185. 
Technical  Chemistry. —  On  the  Preparation  of  Potassium  Carbonate 
by  the  Action  of  Trimethylarnin. — In  order  to  apply  to  the  potash  manu- 
facture a  reaction  analogous  to  that  involved  in  the  well-known  ammonia- 
soda  process  of  making  sodium  carbonate,  the  Croix  Stock  Company, 
of.  Croix,  France,  have  patented  the  use  of  irymethylamin.  A  mix- 
ture of  I  part  potassium  chloride  and  4  parts  of  the  trimethylamin  of 
commerce  is  saturated  with  carbonic  acid  gas.  There  is  formed  at  hrst 
carbonate  and  bicarbonate  of  trymethylamin,  which  reacting  with^the 
potassium  chloride  forms  easily  soluble  trymethylarnin  hvdrochlorate 
and  potassium  bicarbonate,  which  remains  insoluble  under  these  con 
ditions.  The  reaction  takes  place  at  ordinary  temperatures,  although 
cold,  pressure  and  stirring  facilitate  it.  In  3  to  4  hours,  pure  potas- 
sium chloride  can  readily  be  converted  into  a  product  containing  97  to 
99'5  per  cent,  of  potassium  carbonate,  the  bicarbonate  hrst  formed 
having  been  converted  into  neutral  salt,  according  to  the  ordinary 
methods. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  Louis  VON  Cotzhausen,  Ph.G. 
Blaud's  Ferruginous  Pills.— A  good  pill  mass,  of  a  green  color 
and  remaining  soft,  so  as  to  be  readily  formed  into  pills,  and  allowing 
other  substances,  usually  given  in  connection  with  iron,  like  qainia, 
morphia,  etc.,  to  be  mixed  with  it,  is  prepared  by  I.  Pitschke  from  car- 
bonate of  potassium  and  sulphate  of  iron,  each  2  parts,  made  into  a 
pillular  mass  with  one  part  of  an  excipient  consisting  of  carbonate  of 
magnesium,  glycerin  and  grape  sugar  \  i\  parts  of  this  mass  contain  i 
part  iron  sulphate. — Pharm.  Ztg.^  Dec.  3,  1879,  p.  750. 
A  New  Test  for  Free  Mineral  Acids  in  Vinegar,  particularly 
well  adapted  for  testing  so-called  brandy  vinegar,  is  suggested  by  Hager, 
and  consists  in  adding  to  20  cc.  (—  20  grams)  vinegar,  contained  in  a 
previously-weighed  shallow  glass  evaporating  dish,  4  cc.  liquor  ammo- 
niae,  and  exposing  the  mixture  to  a  temperature  above  70°C.  On  evapo- 
ration, pure  vinegar  will  leave  only  a  light  or  dark-brown  spot,  while  if 
tartaric  or  a  mineral  acid  is  present,  a  crystalline  residue  remains,  and, 
if  largely  adulterated,  a  sufficient  quantity  will  remain  for  the  quan- 
