Am£"mm}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  233 
tartaric  acid  forms  a  very  heavy,  curdy  precipitate,  which  was 
insoluble  in  water  and  had  no  action  upon  myronate  of  potassium, 
while  the  filtrate  from  this  precipitate  retained  its  full  power  of  decom- 
posing myronate  of  potassium.  As  yet  it  has  not  been  possible  to 
produce  the  ferment  in  the  pure  state. — Pharm.  Ztg.,  1892,  232. 
Preservation  of  metallic  sodium. — Liquid  paraffin  is  recommended 
for  this  purpose.  W.  Vaubel  has  followed  this  method  for  some 
3<Tears,  and  states  the  formation  of  a  brown  or  black  crust  (as  in  the 
case  of  preservation  under  petroleum)  is  prevented  ;  the  oil  is 
quickly  and  easily  removable  by  use  of  filter  paper. — [Ztschr.  f 
angew.  Chem.)  Pharm.  Ztg.,  1892/233. 
Inferior  Castoreum. — W.  Fossek  describes  in  the  Pharm.  Post 
some  castoreum  entering  commerce  from  Russia,  which,  by  its 
appearance  and  putrid  odor,  excites  attention  ;  it  does  not  appear 
to  be  an  artificial  product,  but  represents  an  abnormal,  physio- 
logical natural  product.  An  examination  revealed  21  per  cent,  ash 
against  2  per  cent,  from  good  castoreum.  This  high  percentage  of 
ash  is  due  to  the  presence  of  numerous  globular  concrements 
having  a  radiating  structure  and  which  are  probably  an  organic 
calcium  combination.  The  alcoholic  extract  amounted  to  only 
one-half  that  obtained  from  normal  castoreum. 
L.  Reuter,  in  the  Schwz.  Woclicnsclirifi  f.  Chcm.  u.  Pharm., 
1892,  145,  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  commercial  castoreum 
may  give  an  aqueous  extract  having  either  an  alkaline  or  a  neutral 
or  slightly  acid  reaction  ;  the  alkaline  extracts  were  never  found  to 
give  indications  of  alkaloids,  while  the  neutral  or  acid  extracts  very 
frequently  gave  precipitates  with  iodine  solution  and  platinic  chlor- 
ide. Reuter  believes  that  the  alkaline  reaction  is  due  to  some 
decomposition,  and  recommends  that  such  castoreum  be  excluded 
from  use  in  medicine. 
Valerian  oil,  according  to  an  examination  of  J.  E.  Gerok,  has 
approximately  the  following  composition  :  Borneol  valerianate,  9-54, 
borneol  butyrate,  1-07,  borneol  acetate,  0-96,  borneol  formate  108, 
terpenes,  87-35. — Jour,  der  Pharm.  v.  Els.-Lothr.,  1892,  85. 
Medicated  cod-liver  oils.—Fcrratid:  Sublimed,  anhydrous  ferric 
chloride,  3  parts,  are  triturated  in  a  mortar  until  dissolved  with  997 
parts  cod  liver  oil.  Forms  a  red  brown  clear  liquid  containing  o-i 
per  cent,  metallic  iron.  Iodized:  Iodine  1  part  is  triturated  with 
chloroform  2  parts,  and  cod  liver  oil  999  parts,  added  in  portions. 
