'''"•jiirisso""-}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals,  373 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  Louis  von  Cotzhausen,  Ph.G. 
Detection  of  Fuchsin  in  Wine. — A  contributor  to  the  "  Pharm. 
Gentralanz."  adds  ammonia  in  excess  to  the  wine,  and  then  shakes  with 
amylic  alcohol,  when  the  fuchsin,  if  present,  colors  the  alcohol.  E. 
'Geissler  tested  this  simple  method  (for  another  simple  method  see 
Amer.  Journ  Pharm  ,"  May,  1876,  p.  236)  and  found  it  excellent, 
although  he  does  not  comprehend  how  the  fuchsin,  after  being  trans- 
iformed  by  th>e  ammonia  into  colorless  rosanilin,  can  color  the  alcohol. 
He  also  calls  attention  to  the  following  fact,  a  knowledge  of  which 
may  serve  to  avoid  misunderstandings,  namely  :  that  fuchsin  does  not 
color  wines  permanently,  but  precipitates  soon  with  the  tannic  acid  and 
other  combinations  ;  the  fuchsin  even  disappears  from  the  precipitate 
soon  by  decomposing  ;  this  explains  why  fuchsin  is  sometimes  proved 
to  be  present  in  w;nes  when  first  examined  and  cannot  be  traced  in  it 
:after  standing  for  several  years.  Geissler  therefore  deems  it  prudent  to 
^test  suspected  wine  for  fuchsin  without  delay,  and  if  the  latter  is  found, 
to  keep  it  and  a  sample  of  the  wine  as  a  proof  of  the  adulteration. — 
Pharm.  Centralh.^  Feb.  12,  1880,  p.  55. 
For  Nightsweats  of  Patients  suffering  with  Lung-phthysis, 
>Dr.  Kuehnhorn  administered  internally  successively  quinia,  atropia, 
(the  latter  was  also  injected  hypodermically),  digitalis,  boletus  laricis, 
•  etc.,  and  used  externally  cold  lotions  and  a  wash  consisting  of  alcohol 
;and  tannin,  with  either  no^  or  at  least  only  temporary  success.  At  last 
:he  prescribed  with  astonishing  success  a  dusting-powder  consisting  of 
3  parts  salicylic  acid,  10  parts  starch  and  87  parts  Venetian  talc,  which 
xwas  dusted  all  over  the  body,  the  skin  of  the  latter  if  too  dry,  being 
'first  rubbed  with  alcohol  and  tannin  so  as  to  make  the  powder  adhere. 
In  order  to  prevent  the  irritation  and  coughing  usually  brought  about  by 
fthe  dust  of  the  acid  it  is  necessary  for  the  patient  to  press  a  cloth  on 
mouth  and  nose  during  the  dusting.  The  use  of  the  powder  prevented 
nightsweats  in  every  case  without  causing  any  other  inconvenience. — 
Pharm.  Centralh .^Y ehYxxTiYy  26,  1 880,  p.  74,  from  Berl.  Klin.  Wochenschr, 
Seidlitz  Chanteaud,  an  alledged  dehydrated,  effervescent  and 
refreshing  laxative,  is  one  of  the  so-called  elegant  remedies,  appears  in 
the  market  in  the  shape  of  snow-white  granules,  and  consists  of  a  mix- 
iture  of  dry  epsom  salt,  sugar  and  Seidlitz  powder  mixture  (a  mixture 
'Of  rochelle  salt,  bicarbonate  of  soda  and  tartaric  acid). — Pharm. 
<Centralh..^  February  26,  1880,  p.  75. 
