220 
PHARMACEUTICAL  GLEANINGS. 
large  percentage  of  starch  is  worthy  of  attention  as  a  source  of 
alcohol ;  and  by  an  experiment,  extracted  ti4  centilitres  (1J  pint  ) 
of  that  fluid  from  141b.  of  the  fresh  bulbs. 
New-  Test  for  Nux  Vomica. — Vielgruth  has  proposed  the  follow- 
ing simple  test  for  nux  vomica.  A  few  grains  of  the  substance 
supposed  to  contain  nux  vomica  is  treated  with  proof  spirit.  The 
tincture  is  evaporated  to  dryness,  at  a  temperature  not  exceed- 
ing 958  F.  A  drop  or  two  of  dilute  sulphuric  acid  is  added  to 
the  residue.  The  whole  is  again  exposed  to  the  above  mentioned 
temperature  ;  when,  if  nux  vomica  is  present,  a  beautiful,  car- 
mine-red color  ensues.  If  the  heat  be  stopped  in  ten  or  fifteen 
minutes,  the  color  disappears,  but  will  reappear  with  less  bright- 
ness on  reheating. — London  Lancet. 
Paper  containing  Arsenic. — V ohl  has  found  in  a  grey  kind 
of  blotting  paper,  about  a  grain  of  arsenic,  five  sixths  of  a  grain 
of  copper,  and  one  grain  of  oxide  of  lead,  per  sheet.  Such  pa- 
per should  be  avoided  in  filtration,  especially  by  the  toxicolo- 
gist.  He  attributed  the  presence  of  the  arsenic  to  Schweinfurt 
green  dye  in  some  of  the  rags  used  to  make  the  paper. 
Aluminium  as  a  substitute  for  Silver. — M.  Regnault,  of  the 
imperial  porcelain  manufactory  at  Sevres,  does  not  believe  that 
aluminium  will  meet  the  expectations  that  have  been  created  in 
its  favor  as  a  substitute  for  silver.  He  thinks  it  difficult  to  pro- 
cure it  pure;  that  in  the  Universal  Exposition,  containing  over  10 
per  cent,  of  other  metals,  and  its  color  is  affected  by  them.  It 
is  extremely  brittle,  not  easily  drawn,  and  is  an  exception  to  the 
general  atomic  theory.  Some  spoons  and  forks  seen  at  Bailey 
&  Kitchen's,  Philadelphia,  made  from  French  aluminium,  pre- 
sent a  decided  contrast  to  silver,  being  more  on  the  Britannia 
ware  colour. 
Oleo-Margarate  of  Zinc  as  a  substitute  for  Lead  Plaster  
M.  de  Mussey,  during  a  residence  at  the  Pyrenees,  (says  the  Bos- 
ton Med.  Jour.)  was  struck  with  the  fact  that  in  those  patients 
who  made  use  of  diachylon  plaster,  a  black  stain  was  caused  by 
contact  with  the  sulphurous  water  of  the  baths,  in  all  places  to 
which  the  diachylon  had  been  applied.  It  was  found  that  if  the 
skin  had  been  in  contact  with  this  preparation  for  a  few  minutes 
only,  a  sufficient  quantity  of  lead  would  adhere  to  form  a  thick 
layer  of  sulphuret  of  lead,  after  being  plunged  in  the  water 
