606  Abstracts  from  the  French  Journals.  {^m-^iStaTm' 
normal  strontium  phosphate,  having  a  bluish  tinge,  is  precipitated; 
dried  at  ioo°  C.  it  is  anhydrous. 
On  using  acidulated  solutions  of  strontium  chloride,  70  p.,  and 
sodium  phosphate,  100  p.,  at  a  temperature  not  exceeding  500  C,  a 
gelatinous  precipitate  of  distrontium  hydrogen  phosphate  is  produced, 
gradually  becoming  granular,  and  by  the  heat  of  the  blow-pipe  is 
converted  into  bluish  pyrophosphate.  Its  solution  in  cold  phos- 
phoric acid  concentrated  below  500  C,  yields  tabular  crystals  of 
2SrO,H20,  3P205-}-7H20,  which  are  soluble  in  water. 
Equal  volumes  of  decinormal  solutions  of  phosphoric  acid  and 
strontium  oxide  yield  a  precipitate  having  the  composition  SrH4 
(P04)2+2H20. 
Barium  chloride,  according  to  Dr.  Lelli,  exerts  a  harmful  influence 
upon  certain  forms  of  scrofula;  but  the  gastritis  of  scrofulous 
children  is  generally  modified  after  a  few  days,  the  diarrhoea  dimin- 
ishes, and  a  cure  is  effected  in  from  two  to  four  weeks;  at  first,  the 
remedy  has  an  irritating  effect  upon  the  mucous  membrane  of  the 
intestines.  The  author  prescribed  the  salt  to  children,  according  to 
their  age,  in  doses  of  0-03  to  0*20  gm.,  to  be  taken  after  a  meal. — 
La  Medecine  moderne. 
Arsenic  cyanide,  AsCy3,  has  been  prepared  by  E.  Guenez  {Comp. 
rend.,  cxiv,  1186),  from  powdered  arsenic  and  excess  of  dry  cyano- 
gen iodide  in  the  presence  of  carbon  bisulphide,  the  mixture  being 
finally  heated  on  a  water-bath,  and  the  minute  yellowish  crystals 
freed  from  arsenic  iodide  by  washing  with  carbon  bisulphide. 
Arsenic  cyanide  is  rapidly  decomposed  by  moisture  into  arsenious 
and  hydrocyanic  acids ;  on  heating  a  portion  of  the  cyanogen  is 
given  off,  paracyanogen  and  arsenic  remaining  behind.  Iodine  con- 
verts the  compound  into  arsenic  iodide  and  cyanogen  iodide,  and 
the  mixture  with  potassium  chlorate  is  violently  explosive. 
Cholesterin,  prepared  from  phanerogamous  plants,  according  to 
Gerard  (  Compt.  rend.,  cxiv,  1 544),  agrees  in  its  properties  with  Hesse's 
phytosterin,  melts  at  1 320  C.,  and  after  complete  drying  at  1 35°,  the  ro- 
tatory power  being  at  the  same  time  increased  from  —  34"4°  to  —  36-  5  °. 
It  is  obtained  by  preparing  an  extract  with  ether,  saponifying  it  with 
alcoholic  potassa,  exhausting  the  dried  soap  with  ether  and  evapor- 
ating ;  the  acicular  crystals  are  again  treated  with  potassa,  and  the 
alkaline  watery  solution  agitated  with  chloroform.   The  crystallized 
