Taxus Baccala-Constituents.-D. Amato and A. Capparelli have isolated from the leaves of the yew a colorless, crystalline alkaloid,* having a musty odor, and producing dense white fumes with the vapors of hydrochloric acid. It is sparingly soluble in water, freely soluble in alcohol and ether, and yields precipitates with several reagents for alkaloids, those with solution of iodine in iodide of potassium, and with tannin (? Rep.) becoming crystalline. The authors also obtained a volatile oil resembling that of wild fennel in odor, and a colorless non-nitrogenous principle, crystallizing in stellate needles, and sparingly soluble in cold, but freely soluble in hot alcohol.-Am. Jour. Phar., February, 1881, p. 56; from Gaz. Ital., X, p. 349.

Sequoia Gigantea-Presence of a New Hydrocarbon.-G. Lunge and Th. Steinkauler have distilled with steam the needles from the branches of the California "Sequoia," and, after extracting with ether, have separated therefrom a solid body and an oil. The solid is quite soluble in the ordinary solvents, and could only be crystallized by putting a layer of water upon the solution in glacial acetic acid, so that by gradually mixing it might cause the separation of the solid. In this way it was obtained in the form of well-crystallized scales, which were white, with faint blue fluorescence, and possessed a very penetrating odor of the sequoia, which resembled somewhat the odor of oil of peppermint. The fusing-point was 105° C.; the boiling-point between 290° and 300° C. Its composition corresponds to the formula C,,H,, which is confirmed by the vapor density. This formula corresponds with fluorene, from which, however, by its fusing-point (fluorene=113° C.) and the very characteristic odor, the author therefore calls the new body Sequoiene. The oil accompanying it they have not yet fully investigated. Am. Jour. Phar., November, 1880, p. 548; from Ber. d. Deutsch. Chem. Ges., XIII, p. 1656.

13

B. ANIMAL DRUGS.

Musk-Deer-Occurrence in Tibet.-As some degree of doubt seems hitherto to have prevailed among naturalists whether the musk-deer (Moschus moschiferus) occurs in the Tibetan plateau, or whether it is confined to the wooded districts of the Alpine Himalaya, Mr. R. Lydekker has contributed to the "Journal of the Asiatic Society" of Bengal a brief paper, in which he gives the result of his recent investigations into the subject. Mr. Lydekker says that during the summer of last year he met in Lahul a Tibetan, who had formerly occu pied a high official position of Lhasa, and who informed him that the

* The alkaloid of the yew (leaves and reed) was first isolated by Lucas in 1843, and further investigated and described by Marmé (see Proceedings, 1876, p. 367), who named it taxina.-REP.

musk-deer was of common occurrence on the Tsanpu River, in the neighborhood of Lhasa. He has also learned from Mr. W. H. Johnson, British Commissioner in Ladakh, that it is found in the country below, and to the east of Lhasa, along the course of the Tsanpu River. The musk brought from this district, Mr. Johnson says, has wrongly ac quired the name of Khoten musk; this appears to have originated from the fact that Khoten being a large Buddhist city and important trading-place, the musk was carried there from Lhasa, and thence to India. Mr. Johnson also observes, that the musk-deer occurs only where the birch tree grows. This evidence, added to what has been collected from various works on Tibet and the neighboring regions, appears to Mr. Lydekker to show that a species of Moschus occurs in Tibet, though he has no means of knowing whether it be the same as M. moschiferus.-Phar. Jour. Trans., April 16th, 1881, p. 860; from Jour. of Applied Sciences, February 1st, 1881.

Musk-Disguise of the Odor by Quinine.—Mr. Bargos, preparing pills of quinia sulph., 10 grs.; musk, 3 grains; mucilage, q. s., observed when the pills were finished, that the odor of musk was completely extinguished, the odor of liquorice powder, in which the pills were rolled, alone remaining.-New Rem., June, 1881, p. 180; from Rép. de Pharm. and Arch, d. Pharm.

sea.

Frog Poison-An Arrow poison of the Natives of Colombia.-Mr. Ed. André describes the method by which the Indians of Colombia obtain a powerful arrow poison from frogs, which he regards to be a variety of Thylobates bicolor. It is a small, lank animal, of lemon-yellow color above, with black legs and abdomen, which is met with in the tierra templada, at an elevation of 1500 to 2000 meters above the level of the In the province of Chocó it is called neaará. To obtain the poison, the Indians, having guarded their hands by winding around them broad leaves, inclose the frog in a piece of bamboo, and suspend it by the hind legs over fire. This causes the frog to exude an acrid yellow liquid, which is caught by a woman, who collects it by means of a sort of scraper or spatula in a small earthen vessel, in which it gradually assumes the consistence of curare. The arrows are not dipped into the poison until the latter has solidified. In this condition the natives carry it with them in their quivers. The effects of the poison are said to be precisely similar to those of curare, as it is innocuous when swallowed, but, if introduced into the blood, speedily causes a paralysis of the vital powers. An antidote is not known, and death is very speedy.-New Rem., July, 1880, p. 196.

Cantharides. Dr. Carl F. Gissler enumerates one hundred and fiftyeight species and varieties of blistering beetles which occur in the United States and the bordering provinces of Mexico and British

North America. Attention is drawn to the species that are of common occurrence, of those that occur less frequently, and of those that are rare, and also the places of their occurrence. It might be profitable to determine the cantharidin in the available species. The mode of collecting and killing them is the same as in the case of cantharides: oil of turpentine or ether being excellent for the latter purpose. Their identification may be secured by sending good specimens, wrapped in tissue-paper, in a paper box, as third-class mail matter, to Professor C. W. Riley, Washington, D. C., or to George H. Horn, M.D., 874 N. Fourth Street, Philadelphia, Pa.-D. A. Apothek. Ztg., July 1st and 15th, 1880, p. 2.

Leeches-Preservation.—Mr. Schwonder finds that by keeping leeches in a stoneware pot, filled one-half with pieces of peat and to threefourths with water, in a room capable of being heated in winter, and at least one story above the ground, they will keep perfectly. The water need only be changed occasionally, say once in three weeks, and then the peat is to be washed with water.-New Rem., March, 1881, p. 84; from Phar. Zeitung.

Sponges-Method of Cleansing and Preserving.-Mr. Charles Roberts. finds that returning the sponge to its native element, or what answers equally well, steeping it in strong salt and water, to which a few grains of iodine have been added, enables it to throw off its impurities and to regain its normal elasticity and absorbent properties, and at the same time to become completely disinfected. The process is, however, not a rapid one. Very dirty sponges must have a preliminary cleaning by washing in soap and warm water. Sponges may be kept in this kind of pickle for any length of time without injury to their texture. Preparations of chlorine, soda, and sulphurous acid, he says, injure the texture of the sponge; Condy's fluid stains, and carbolic acid consolidates organic matter in the meshes of the structure.Drug. Circ., June, 1881, p. 87; from Br. Med. Jour.

INORGANIC CHEMISTRY.

OXYGEN.

Oxygen― Care in Preparation.—Limousin draws attention to an explosion which occurred in the laboratory of Ardisson & Ponzis, apothecaries at Cannes. By the direction of Dr. Botkin, Mr. Ardisson prepared some oxygen for the Empress of Russia from chlorate of potash without the usual intervention of peroxide of manganese, the physi

cian believing thereby to secure a purer product. At the beginning the decomposition took place regularly, but during the second period, when the decomposition always becomes more energetic, owing to the decomposition of the perchlorate of potassa formed, an explosion suddenly occurred in the gasometer-fortunately without serious consequences to the operator. The retort as well as the wash-bottle remained intact. Mr. Limousin accounts for this by assuming that particles of perchlorate of potassium were carried over into the vulcanized rubber tube, which, owing to the high temperature of the particles, became ignited, and produced carburetted hydrogen. The carburetted hydrogen with the oxygen in the gasometer produced an explosive mixture, which, under the influence of the high temperature, and possibly also under that of particles of burning sulphur or perchlorate of potassium, became ignited. The author observes that it is not at all an uncommon occurrence to see burning particles pass through the wash-bottle in the tube beyond when the reaction is very violent. Under the conditions above presumed an explosion is then inevitable. -Phar. Centralh., November 4th, 1880, p. 400, from Jour. de Phar. et de Chim.

Ozone-Color, and Liquefaction.-P. IIautefeuille and J. Chappuis obtained a mixture very rich in ozone by the action of electricity on oxygen at a very low temperature. This mixture was transferred to the capillary tube of Cailletet's apparatus, and submitted to pressure, at a temperature of -23°. At the first few strokes of the piston an azure-blue was seen to fill the tube, and as the pressure increased the color deepened, until when the gas was under a pressure of several atmospheres, the color had become indigo-blue. When the pressure was suddenly removed, a momentary white mist was observed within the tube, indicating a condensation into the liquid, or perhaps solid state. The blue color, being like its odor, an essential property of ozone, may be seen whenever a sufficient thickness of a mixture containing it is viewed. The authors propose to discuss the agency of ozone as affecting the color of the atmosphere.-Jour. Chem. Soc., February, 1881, p. 18, from Compt. Rend., 91, pp. 522–525.

HYDROGEN.

Sulphuretted Hydrogen-Simple Apparatus.-Mr. Peter Hart constructs a simple apparatus, which is useful when sulphuretted hydrogen is only occasionally required, and can be used frequently without washing or replenishing. It consists of two test-tubes, the larger of 1 inch internal diameter, the other of such smaller diameter as to slide easily without friction into the larger. This smaller tube is by means of the blowpipe perforated at the bottom with a 4-inch hole,

and is also provided with a rubber-stopper and a gas-leading tube bent twice at right angles. The larger tube has a piece of rubber tube 2 inches in length, and of rather smaller diameter than itself, pushed over its mouth, 1 inch on the tube and 1 inch projecting. This completes the apparatus. To work it fill the larger tube from one-third to one-half full of a mixture of 1 part of sulphuric acid and 3 parts of water. Drop a lump of sulphide of iron into the smaller tube, insert the stopper with the leading pipe into this, and thrust its lower perforated end through the rubber mouth of the larger tube until it reaches the acid, allowing sufficient of this to enter' to cover the sulphide of iron. Gas immediately commences to be evolved, and may be stopped at will by raising the tube again until it is out of the acid. Obviously the dimensions of the apparatus may be increased.Chem. News, April 29th, 1881, p. 191.

Water-Simple Method of Determining Temporary Hardness.-In order to ascertain the alkalinity of springs on the spot, with samples not exceeding 10 cc., and with a single reagent, V. Wartha makes use of a tube 30 to 40 cm. long, closed at the bottom, and with a mark showing the capacity of 10 cc. From this mark upwards the tube is graduated into 0.1 cc. To determine the temporary hardness the tube is filled to the lowest mark with the water in question, and a little filter paper, which has been previously steeped in extract of logwood and dried, is thrown in, thus giving the water a violet color. Centinormal hydrochloric acid is then added from a dropping bottle, till the color of the liquid inclines to an orange. The tube is then closed with the thumb and well shaken. The greater part of the carbonic acid escapes, and the liquid becomes red again. Acid is again added, and the shaking repeated until the next drop of the acid turns the liquid to a pure lemon-yellow, a point which with a little practice is easily reached. The amount of acid used is read off on the tube itself. The author proposes to express the alkalinity of a water by the number of cc. of centinormal acid needed to neutralize 10 cc. He thinks that this method will be found useful both for sanitary and geological purposes. Chem. News, June 24th, 1881, p. 292, from Ber. d. D. Chem. Ges., 13, No. 11.

Water-Application of Nitro-phenic Acid as an Alkalimetric Indicator.-H. W. Langbeck observes that if nitro-phenic acid is dissolved in 100,000 parts of water a nearly colorless liquid is produced, but if a trace of an alkali be added a distinct yellow color appears. This delicate indicator is, however, only useful if colorless or nearly colorless fluids are to be examined, as, for instance, in determining the temporary hardness of water. For this purpose 1 part of the acid is dissolved in 500 parts of distilled water. Centinormal solutions of