Chemical  Notes, 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm^ 
I      April,  1880. 
icnown  aecomposition  products  ot  albuminoids,  the  soluble  peptones, 
acid  albuminates,  etc.,  and  on  the  other  hand  a  portion,  ot  definite 
amount,  remains  completely  indigestible.  This  last  appears  to  contain 
phosphorus  as  well  as  nitrogen. — Ibid.^  p.  251. 
On  Hyoscyamma. — Ladenburg  has  followed  up  his  study  of  the  tro- 
peins^  or  artificial  alkaloids,  lately  described  (this  journal,  March,  1880,, 
p.  148),  by  a  more  specific  study  of  this  natural  alkaloid.  Its  close- 
physiological  relationship  to  atropia  seemed  to  make  this  very  impor- 
tant. The  alkaloid  on  treatment  with  barium  hydrate  is  decomposed,, 
in  a  manner  analogous  to  that  observed  with  atropia,  into  hyoscinic 
acid  and  a  base  hyoscina.  The  analyses  of  both  of  these  decomposi- 
tion-products give  figures  identical  with  those  gotten  from  tropic  acid 
and  tropin,  the  products  of  the  decomposition  of  atropia  by  bariurr& 
hydrate.  The  fusing-points  and  other  physical  characters  also  agree. 
Ladenburg  says  that  three  explanations  only  are  possible  of  the  cer- 
tainly established  difference  between  atropia  and  hyoscyamia  :  1st,  the 
hyoscinic  acid  may  be  different  from  tropic  acid  ;  2d,  hyoscin  may 
differ  from  tropin  ;  or,  3d,  the  decomposition  products  of  the  two  alka- 
loids may  be  identical,  but  the  component  parts  of  the  two  natural' 
substances  may  be  diff^erently  united,  so  that  their  isomerism  may^^be  of 
a  character  analogous  to  that  existing  between  oil  of  gaultheria  and 
methyl-salicylate.  The  author  thinks  that  his  study  of  the  tropeins  " 
from  the  two  bases  will  enable  him  to  settle  the  question  of  identity. — - 
Ih'id.,  p.  254. 
On  Duboisina. — This  alkaloid,  which  comes  from  the  Australian' 
plant  Duhoisia  myoporoides^  has  already  taken  an  important  place  among; 
the  remedies  of  eye-clinics  ;  for,  although  similar  to  atropia  in  action,, 
it  is  capable  of  use  under  circumstances  where  this  latter  is  forbidden. 
Ladenburg  has  proved  the  complete  identity  of  the  purified  alkaloid 
with  hyoscyamia.  He  establishes  this  by  an  analysis  of  both  the  gold 
salt  and  the  purified  alkaloid  itself.  The  following  reactions,  more- 
over, hold  true  of  both  alkaloids.  The  addition  of  picric  acid  to  the- 
dilute  hydrochloric  acid  solution  gives  a  yellow  oil,  which  solidifies- 
almost  immediately  to  beautiful  and  regular  plates  ;  platinic  chloride- 
produces  no  precipitate  ;  iodine  in  iodide  of  potassium  solution  pro- 
duces at  once  a  separation  of  a  crystalline  periodide  ;  tannic  acid  pro- 
duces a  slight  turbidity  ;  double  iodide  of  potassium  and  mercury  pro- 
duces a  white  amorphous  precipitate. — Ibid.^  p.  257. 
Technical  and  Applied  Chemistry. — Fire-proofing  Materials  and 
