AmoeuisP92arm-}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  523 
of  the  yeast  cells  will  generally  augment  the  formation  of  suc- 
cinic acid.  Succinic  acid  independently  of  the  glycerin  formation 
is  a  normal  product  of  the  alcoholic  fermentation. — [Arch.  f. 
Hygien?)  Apotheker  Ztg.y  1892,-  411. 
Iodine. — Prof.  Meineke  found  that  iodine  will  not  change  when 
exposed  to  the  air  for  a  few  hours  ;  after  five  days'  exposure  the  loss 
is  so  slight  as  to  come  within  the  limits  of  error ;  under  the  most 
favorable  conditions  for  absorbing  moisture  (powdered  iodine  kept 
beside  a  vessel  containing  water  under  a  bell-jar)  it  did  not  absorb 
more  than  o*i  per  cent. — Chemiker  Ztg.,  1892,  11 26. 
Japanese  plant  constituents. — Mosula  japonica  (N.  O.  Labiatae) 
a  small  plant  having  the  characteristic  odor  of  thymol,  yielded  213 
per  cent,  of  a  volatile  oil  sp.  gr.  0-820  at  17-5°  C. ;  odor,  faintly 
thymol-like ;  freezing  mixtures  caused  no  separation  of  crystals 
until  after  treatment  with  strong  sodium  hydrate  solution,  when  44 
per  cent,  of  the  oil  taken  separated ;  the  stearopten  was  proven  by 
analysis  and  tests  to  be  thymol. 
Valeriana  officinalis  var.  angustifolia,  Mig. — The  root  yielded  2-7 
per  cent,  volatile  oil  (more  than  the  European  variety)  of  sp.  gr. 
0-805  at  170,  (lsevogyre  in  5  cm. tube — 55*5°);  valerianic  acid  was 
identified  as  one  of  the  constituents. 
Datura  alba,  Nees. — The  capsules  before  the  introduction  of 
chloroform,  were  used  as  an  anaesthetic  in  Japan.  The  plant  con- 
tains both  hyoscyamine  and  atropine,  the  former  being  present  in 
much  the  larger  quantity. 
Picrasma  eilantoides,  Planch.  (Simarubaceae),  owing  to  its  bitter 
taste  is  called  "  Nigaki  "  (Bitter  wood)  ;  the  bark  of  the  wood  was 
found  to  contain  a  crystalline  body  identical  with  quassin. — Dr. 
Shimoyama,  with  H.  Ono,  K.  Hyrano,  and  T.  Koshima. — Apotheker 
Ztg.,  1892,  439,  440,  458,  459- 
Myrrholin,  a  patented  solution  of  myrrh  made  by  digesting  the 
gum-resin  with  castor  oil  and  alcohol,  is  intended  for  use  as  an 
embalming  and  conserving  agent  ;  capsules  of  the  same  have  been 
prepared  containing  0-2  myrrholin  and  0-3  creosote. 
Unguentum  Myrrhce  made  by  heating  together  one  part  myrrh 
with  ten  parts  of  a  mixture  of  wax  and  fixed  oil,  is  used  in  eczema 
