368 
VARIETIES. 
retary  of  the  Treasury,  from  which  the  above  estimate  is  derived.  It  is 
worth,  at  the  present  time,  about  $3  the  ounce. — Ibid. 
Glycerin  Jelly. — There  is  no  published  formula  for  the  article  sold  under 
this  name,  but  in  answer  to  many  inquiries  on  the  subject,  we  insert  the 
following  formula,  by  which  a  preparation  exactly  similar  in  appearance 
and  effect  is  made  : 
R.    Saponis  mollis,  P.  L.  £ss. 
Mellis  purif.  f.  gij. 
01.  Olivse  pallid.  gv. 
Perfume,  ad  libitum. 
First  intimately  mix  the  soap  with  the  honey,  then  gradually  add  the  oil, 
stirring  without  intermission  until  all  the  oil  is  taken  up.    Care  must  be 
taken  not  to  add  the  oil  too  fast. 
A  correspondent  has  sent  the  following  formula : 
Powdered  gum  arabic,  |  oz.,  syrup,  4  oz.,  made  in  the  proportion  of  3 
oz.  of  sugar  to  1  oz.  of  water,  the  yolks  of  three  eggs,  olive  oil,  4  oz.,  gly- 
cerine, 2  oz. ;  rub  the  gum  and  the  syrup  well  mixed  together,  then  add  the 
yolks  of  ejgs,  and  when  well  mixed,  add  gradually  the  oil  and  glycerine, 
previously  mixed  together. — London  Pharm.  Journ. 
Test  for  Strychnia.— Mr.  J.  W.  Slater,  Analytical  Chemist,  Sheffield,  in 
a  letter  to  the  Times,  March  26,  proposes  the  following  test  for  the  detec- 
tion of  strychnine  :  "  A  few  drops  of  pure  sulphuric  acid  are  mixed  with 
an  equal  bulk  of  water  and  allowed  to  cool.  Chlorate  of  potash,  in  fine 
powder,  is  then  added,  and  the  suspected  substance  introduced.  If  strych- 
nine be  present,  an  intense  maroon  red  color  appears,  gradually  fading  into 
a  rose-violet.  In  principle  this  process  agrees  with  the  ordinary  test,  but 
the  materials  used  are  much  less  capable  of  producing  any  varied  play  of 
colors," — Ibid. 
Preparation  of  Hydrocyanic  Acid. — Wittstein  has  examined  the  reactions 
that  take  place  in  the  preparation  of  hydrocyanic  acid  from  ferrocyanide 
of  potassium  and  sulphuric  acid,  and  corae3  to  the  conclusion  that — 
1.  The  first  action  consists  in  the  formation  of  sulphate  of  potash  and 
hydroferrocyanic  acid,  while  one-fourth  of  the  ferrocyanide  remains  unal- 
tered. 
4  (2KCy+FeCy)  &  6  (S034  H0)=  6  (KO-f  S03)  3  (PeCy-J-2H0y)  &  2KCy+FeCy. 
2.  When  heat  is  applied  the  hydroferrocyanic  acid  is  decomposed  into 
hydrocyanic  acid  and  cyanide  of  iron,  which  latter  combines  with  the  un- 
altered ferrocyanide  of  potassium,  forming  an  insoluble  substance,  KCy-j- 
2FeCy. 
3  (FeCy-j-2HCy)  and  2KCy+FeCy=6  HCy  and  2  (KCy+9  FeCy). 
3.  The  insoluble  substance  is  partially  decomposed  by  access  of  air;  the 
