•70  Varieties.  {'"^■AZ-^'^r- 
77^C  ;  also  mono-  and  di-chloracetal,  and  a  compound,  probably  a  chlorinated 
ethyl-methylic  ether,  which  boils  between  77°  and  78°C. — Jour.  Prak.  Chem.,  xix^ 
P-  393.   
The  Bichloride  of  Ethidene  as  an  Anaesthetic. — Dr.  J.  H.  Palmer,  of  Birming- 
ham, writes  to  the  "Lancet,"  October  25,  of  this  substance: 
"  I  have  administered  this  drug  in  half  a  dozen  cases,  and  so  far  I  have  met  with 
favorable  results.  Unconsciousness  is  produced,  so  far  as  my  experience  goes,  with 
very  little  struggling,  and  4f  minutes  was  the  longest  time  required.  The  pulse  is 
slowed,  but  remains  full,  and  I  have  not  yet  met  with  any  symptoms  of  cardiac 
failure.  The  breathing  was  quite  quiet  and  uninterrupted,  and  there  was  an  absence 
of  all  bronchial  irritation  and  frothing  at  the  mouth.  Vomiting  occurred  once  in 
the  first  five  cases,  and  then  was  both  slight  and  transient.  The  largest  quantity 
used  was  an  ounce  5  this  was  given  to  a  boy  eighteen  years  of  age,  who  had  an 
organic  systolic  murmur  at  the  apex  of  the  heart,  and  he  was  kept  unconscious  for 
35  minutes.  In  all  these  cases  the  drug  was  administered  on  a  piece  of  lint  or  a 
towel.  It  was  obtained  from  C.  A.  F.  Kalbaum,  of  Berlin.  It  is  a  very  expensive 
agent — I  believe  32s.  a  pound — and  shoald  be  kept  in  a  capped  bottle  for  the  pur- 
pose of  preventing  evaporation." — Med.  and  Surg.  Rep.,  Jan.  24. 
Formation  of  Ozone  during  the  slow  Oxidation  of  Phosphorus.  By  H.  Mc- 
Leod.  The  active  substance  formed  during  the  slow  oxidation  of  phosphorus  is 
probably  either  ozone  or  peroxide  of  hydrogen.  Air  in  which  phosphorus  is  slowly 
oxidizing  was  drawn  through  a  U  tube,  inches  long  (filled  with  fragments  of 
glass  containing  in  succession  sodic  carbonate,  a  mixture  of  potassic  bichromate  and 
sulphuric  acid,  and  potassic  permanganate);  the  U  tube  was  at  the  temperature  of 
the  air,  or  at  ioo°C.  In  both  cases  the  gas  which  passed  through  rendered  blue  a 
solution  of  potassic  iodide  and  starch  5  hydroxyl,  under  these  circumstances,  would 
be  completely  decomposed.  In  another  series  of  experiments,  the  gas  was  passed 
through  a  narrow  U  tube,  heated  to  150°  to  zoo°C.,  but  no  water  was  formed.  It 
is  extremely  improbable  that  ozone  and  hydroxyl-  are  simultaneously  formed,  as 
these  substances  decompose  each  other.  The  author,  therefore,  concludes  that  the 
gas  obtained  during  the  slow  oxidation  of  phosphorus  possesses  the  properties  of 
ozone  and  not  those  of  hydroxyl,  the  only  known  peroxide  of  hydrogen. — Chem. 
and  Drug  ,  Jan.  15 
Detection  of  Mineral  Oils  in  Fats. — E.  Geissler  saponifies  a  known  weight  of 
the  fat  in  a  rather  large,  long-necked  flask,  and  afterwards  adds  sufficient  hot  water 
to  make  the  liquid  reach  into  the  neck  of  the  flask.  On  allowing  this  to  stand  for 
some  time  in  a  warm  place,  unsaponifiable  or  still  unsaponified  oils,  if  present,  will 
collect  on  the  top  of  the  liquid,  and  may  be  readily  decanted  or  removed  with  a 
pipette,  and  the  last  portions,  if  necessary,  with  ether.  On  weighing  this  portion, 
the  amount  of  the  admixture  is  determined. — Chem.  Centralbl.,  1879,  P-  75°?  from 
Corr.  Bl.  d.  Ver.  analyt.  Chem. 
Durable  Cement,  prepared  by  J.  Hart,  consists  of  glue,  white  lead,  oil,  alum  and 
borax. —  Ber.  Chem.  Ges  ,  xii,  p.  4194. 
