AmjJanUj8liarm"}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  23 
is  discharged  by  agitation  with  5  cc.  chloroform ;  if  now  1  cc.  of  a  solu- 
tion containing  0-00002  salicylic  acid  be  added,  there  remains,  after 
agitation,  a  distinct  coloration.  This  test  is  of  practical  importance 
in  testing  the  artificial  oil  of  wintergreen  for  free  salicylic  acid. 
If  the  oil  be  agitated  with  500  parts  water,  and  10  cc.  of  this  turbid 
mixture  with  1  cc.  of  the  diluted  ferric  chloride  solution  and  5  cc. 
chloroform  be  shaken  together,  a  colorless  mixture  results  if  no 
free  salicylic  acid  is  present ;  if,  however,  500  parts  oil  contain  only 
1  part  free  salicylic  acid,  there  will  be  sufficient  acid  present  in  the 
10  cc.  of  the  mixture  take%  to  produce  a  perceptible  violet  colora- 
tion if  the  vessel  be  held  against  a  white  background. — Journ.  der 
Pharm.  v.  Els.-Lothr.,  1891,  28.5. 
Calciiim  salicylate. — The  following  method  of  preparation  gave 
very  satisfactory  results :  200  sodium  salicylate  are  dissolved  in 
5,000  distilled  water,  the  solution  filtered  and  10  solution  of  soda 
sp.  g.  i- 160  added;  100  pure  calcium  carbonate  are  decomposed 
with  sufficient  dilute  acetic  acid  to  form  a  clear  and  neutral  solution, 
this  is  then  diluted  with  2,000  distilled  water  and  added  to  the  first 
solution ;  the  precipitate  is  collected  upon  a  filter,  washed  several 
times  with  cold  distilled  water  and  dried  at  a  temperature  not 
exceeding  350  C.  The  product  forms  a  white,  crystalline  powder, 
odorless  and  tasteless,  soluble  in  2,000  parts  cold  water,  more  easily 
soluble  in  carbonated  water  and  very  readily  soluble  in  acetic  acid 
and  the  dilute  mineral  acids.  It  is  used  alone  or  with  bismuth 
salicylate  in  diarrhoea,  especially  for  children,  also  in  gastro  enteritis  ; 
dose  0-5  to  1-5  gram. — S.  Torjescu,  Oesterr.  Ztschr.  f.  Pharm. , 
1891,  629. 
Test  for  Purity  of  Beeswax. — If  a  wax  cylinder  3-4  cm.  long  and 
5-6  mm.  thick  be  placed  in  a  test  tube  8-10  cm.  long  and  1-2-1-4  cm. 
diameter  and  covered  with  petroleum-benzin  so  that  there  is  a  layer 
of  liquid  1-2  cm.  above  the  wax,  the  following  behavior  is  noticed 
with  pure  beeswax.  From  the  surface  of  the  cylinder  small  pulveru- 
lent particles  are  loosened  and  after  1  y2  to  2  hours  the  quantity  of 
wax  taken  will  be  found  as  a  pulverulent  deposit  with  an  even  surface  ; 
yellow  wax  may  require  three  hours  for  this  change,  and  the  wax 
will  be  bleached  although  the  supernatant  liquid  remains  colorless 
or  is  only  faintly  yellow.  Adulterated  yellow  wax  generally  retains 
the    color,  also   coloring   the  benzin  yellow ;   adulterated  wax 
