22  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {AmjJa0nu,ri892arm* 
limited  extent ;  but  as  early  as  1833  Lassaigne  observed  {Jour.  Chim. 
Med.,  ix,  654)  that  on  boiling  iodine  with  solution  of  cane  sugar, 
the  mixture  is  decolorized  with  the  formation  of  hydriodic  acid.  In 
1845  Millon  reported  {Compt.  rend,  xxi,  828)  that  on  warming  iodine 
with  a  solution  of  grape  sugar  in  the  presence  of  potassium  bicar- 
bonate, iodoform  is  produced. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  GERMAN  JOURNALS. 
By  Frank  X.  Moerk,  Ph.G. 
A  cheap  red  coloring  matter  for  tooth-poivder  can  be  made  from 
brazil  wood.  A  decoction  is  made  from  100-150  grams  of  the 
wood,  and  to  this  added  15-20  grams  alum  ;  the  lake  produced  is 
sufficient  to  color  one  kilogram  of  tooth-powder. — Rundschau,  1891, 
969. 
Ink  for  writing  upon  glass  or  porcelain. — 10  parts  of  bleached 
shellac  and  5  parts  Venetian  turpentine  are  dissolved  in  15  parts  of 
oil  of  turpentine  by  immersing  the  containing  vessel  in  warm  water; 
after  solution  is  effected,  5  parts  of  lamp-black  are  incorporated. — 
Rundschau,  1891,  970. 
Iodoform-sponges  — Fine  sponges  are  first  cleansed  by  boiling 
with  water  and  then  placed  for  five  days  in  a  5  per  cent,  hydro- 
chloric acid  ;  after  thorough  washing  and  drying  they  are  covered 
with  a  7-5  per  cent,  ethereal  solution  of  iodoform,  and  set  aside  until 
the  ether  has  evaporated. — Rittenheimer  (Prag.  med.  Wochensch.), 
Rundschau,  189 1,  970. 
Detection  of  salicylic  acid  in  salicy I- aldehyde  and  methyl  salicylate. 
— In  the  course  of  an  investigation  of  Spiraea  Ulmaria,  Dr.  A. 
Schneegans  and  J.  E.  Gerock  noticed  that  if  the  colored  solutions 
which  these  substances  form  with  ferric  chloride  be  agitated  with 
ether,  the  colorations  due  to  salicyl-aldehyde  and  methyl  salicylate 
were  discharged,  while  that  due  to  salicylic  acid  was  not  affected. 
In  place  of  ether,  chloroform,  amyl-alcohol,  acetic  ether,  carbon  disul- 
phide,  petroleum  ether,  kerosene,  paraffin  oil,  benzol,  toluol,  xylol 
and  pure  aceton  can  be  used  ;  if  the  coloration  be  obtained  in  alco- 
holic solution,  diluting  with  the  above-mentioned  liquids  will  also 
discharge  the  color.  If  to  10  cc.  of  a  solution,  containing  0  020 
salicyl-aldehyde,  2  cc.  of  a  ferric  chloride  solution  (the  officinal  solu- 
tion diluted  with  99  volumes  water)  be  added,  the  violet  coloration 
