out. It was redissolved in toluol, and reprecipitated with alcohol. The process was repeated a third time to remove all the soluble bodies. The pure hydrocarbon was reserved for future examination. The bulked alcohol-toluol solutions on standing deposited wax and some paltreubin, m.p. 260°C., the latter separating more slowly. The wax being elminated as far as possible, the alcohol was distilled off; the residue, treated with boiling alcohol, gave a further quantity of wax and paltreubin. After separating these, the mother-liquor slowly deposited spherical translucent nodules, containing, among other bodies, a crystalline substance, m.p. 240°. The residue obtained by distillation, after separating these, is the body which has been named fluavil, but it is not a simple substance. Its solution in petroleum ether gave crystals of all the substances enumerated above.

Paltreubin is deposited in small silky needles, m.p. 260°C., from benzol solution; when slowly heated it sublimes at 230°C. Like its isomer, amyrin, it forms two isomeric esters, which, when saponified, yield a- and B-paltreubylic alcohol. Thus, when heated to 175°C. in a sealed tube with acetic anhydride two acetates are formed, one soluble, the other insoluble in ether. Recrystallized from benzol, the former separates in prisms, m.p. 235°C., the latter in needles, m.p. 290°C. The first when saponified gives a-paltreubylic alcohol, C30H49OH in needles, m.p. 190°C. It is optically inactive. The second ester gives B-paltreubylic alcohol on saponification, crystallizing in very fine felted needles, subliming between 270-275°C. Although this polymer is not met with, as such, in the gutta of Palaquium treubi, it has been found in that of the leaves of P. gutta and P. borneense.

Hardwickia pinnata, Oleoresin of. D. Hooper. (Pharm. Journ. [4], 24, 4.) Two samples of the genuine oleo-resin of Hardwickia pinnata, received in the Indian Museum, Calcutta, have been examined. One sample was obtained from the Papanasam Hills, Tinnevelly, and the other from South Kanara. They were both thick dichroic fluids, with peculiar odour; the first of butyric acid, and the second piperaceous. It might be incidentally remarked that the oil is used in medicine and for painting the woodwork of houses. The following figures were obtained on examination of the samples :

The oleo-resins were freely soluble in 90 per cent. alcohol, ether, chloroform, petroleum ether, and glacial acetic acid ; they dissolved in solution of ammonia with a slight cloudiness, and ultimately gelatinized. A few drops mixed with a few drops of strong sulphuric acid resulted in the formation of a brown solid. Two drops dissolved in 1 c.c. of glacial acetic acid gave a brick-red deposit with one drop of sulphuric acid.

Heracleum giganteum, Essential Oil of. (Schimmels' Report, October, 1906, 41.) The oil distilled from the ripe fruit had the following characters :-sp. gr., 0·8722 at 15°C.; aь+1°14′; acid value, 16; ester value, 288-3; acetyl value, 314.2; solubility in alcohol 80 per cent., 11 and more. The oil was colourless

and resembled H. spondylium oil in odour.

Heracleum spondylium, Essential Oil of. (Schimmels' Report, October, 1906, 41.) The oil is obtained from the fruit or the entire umbels of Heracleum spondylium. The oil from the umbel stalks, from which the fruit had been removed, was found to differ in odour from that of the fruit alone; sp. gr., 0-9273; ap-0°48'; acid value, 16-2; ester value, 148-6 acetyl value, 195-9; solubility in alcohol, 80 per cent. 1: 1.1 with separation of paraffin when more solvent was added. The oil from the fruit alone had the following characters: sp. gr., 0-8744 to 0-8798; aь-0°38′ to +1°6′; acid value, 7.3 to 15.9; ester value, 215-4 to 247-4; acetyl value, 276-3 to 285-3; solubility in 80 per cent. alcohol 0.8 to 1: 1.

Herring Oil, Japanese. C. E. Sage. (Chem. and Drugg. 69, 385.) A consignment of this oil recently appeared in the London market. The oil had the following characters :-Colour, pale brown; sp. gr. at 20°C, 0-9116; acid value, 16-8; saponification value, 193-7; iodine value, 1370.

Hevea braziliensis, Constituents of the Seeds of. W. R. Dunstan. (Proc. Chem. Soc., 23, 168.) The kernels of the

seeds of the Para rubber tree were found to contain 50 per cent. of fixed oil; sp. gr., 0-9302 at 15°C; saponification value, 206-1; iodine value, 128.3. In characters it resembled linseed oil, drying to a transparent varnish on exposure to the air. When ground in water small quantities of prussic acid and acetone were formed indicating the probable presence of a cyanogenetic glucoside similar to phaseolunatin (Year-Book, 1904, 140). The enzymes present in the seed hydrolize its oil and also olive oil, so that in addition to the ferment hydrolizing the glucoside, a lipase is also present. Von Romburgh has shown that the leaves of Hevea braziliensis also yield HCN on contact with water, and Harrison has obtained the same decomposition product from the seeds of H. pauciflora and H. confusa.

Honey, Method of Examination prescribed in French Official Laboratories. (Annales de Chim. Analyt., 12, 258.) To ensure thorough bulking the honey should if possible be melted and stirred up before drawing the sample. Twenty-five Gm. is then weighed off, dissolved in water and made up to 250 c.c. A portion of this solution is at once centrifugated and the deposit obtained examined under the microscope. No starch grains should be seen. Clean honey should contain no portion of the organs of bees; only pollen grains and particles of wax should be found.

Sugars.

Two determinations are to be made with aliquot parts of the above solution, by means of Fehling's solution, one before, the other after inversion. The difference in the two results is expressed in terms of saccharose by multiplying it by 0.95.

Optical rotation should be observed both before and after inversion, in a 10 per cent. solution.

Detection of Dextrin. Dissolve 25 Gm. of the honey in 250 c.c. of water, add 5 Gm. of yeast, free from starch, and allow to ferment at 30° for three days; filter, take 200 c.c. of the filtrate and evaporate to about 25 c.c. Pour this liquid drop by drop into 100 c.c. of alcohol 95 per cent. Allow to stand for 2 or 3 hours, collect the precipitate on a filter, wash with alcohol, redissolve with boiling water, make up to 50 c.c. and take the optical rotation. If this is markedly dextro-rotatory determine the reducing power, calculate this into glucose and deduct this from the previously observed rotation. If the remainder indicates a dextro-rotation the presence of dextrin is practically certain, and by inference, added glucose.

14

H. B. Power and F. 133.) Homo-eriodictyol

Homo-eriodictyol, Constitution of. Tutin. (Proc. Chem. Soc., 23, C16H1106 is isomeric with hesperitin, but its sodium compound has the normal formula C16H13O6Na. It contains one methoxyl group, and forms a tetra-actyl derivative C16H10O6 (COMe), m.p. 154°C. When hydrolized with strong aqueous KOH it gives phloro-glucinol and ferulic (4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic) acid. On fusion with KOH protocatechnic acid is formed.

It is therefore concluded that homo-eriodictyol has the following constitution :—

Mossler's eriodictionon is evidently homoeriodictyol.

Eriodictyol C1H12O6 m.p. 267, contains no methoxyl group. It gives two compounds when acetylized, one with the m.p. 137°C the other 195-196°C. Homoeriodictyol is probably the monomethyl ester of eriodictyol.

Hordenine, Some Derivatives of. E. Léger. (Journ. Pharm. Chim. [6], 25, 73.) A number of derivatives, both of the phenolic and amine functions of hordenine, have been prepared and are described in detail.

Hydrastine, Determination of, in Fluid Extract of Hydrastis. A. W. van der Haar. (Apoth. Zeit., 21, 1050.) Ten Gm. of the liquid extract is mixed in a tared flask with 20 c.c. of water and evaporated to 10 or 11 Gm.; 1-5 c.c. of HCl, 12.5 per cent. is then added and the weight is made up to 20 Gm. with water. When cold 0-5 Gm. of Kieselguhr is thoroughly stirred in and the mixture filtered. Ten Gm. of the filtrate is then treated in a 100 c.c. flask with 4 c.c. of solution of AmOH 10 per cent., and 25 c.c. of ether; after shaking for some minutes 25 c.c. of petroleum ether is added and then 1.5 Gm. of powdered tragacanth. Forty c.c. of the ethereal solution is decanted into a tared flask and evaporated to 10 Gm. The flask is then corked and set aside for several hours in a cold place. The motherliquid is then carefully decanted, the crystals of hydrastine are washed with a little ether, dried on the water-bath and weighed.

Hydrocyanic Acid, Presence of, in Argentine Grasses of the genus Stipa. A. Hébert. (Bull. Soc. Chim., 35, 919.) Three species of grasses of the genus Stipa, indigenous to the Argentine, known locally as Viscachera Azul-Pampa, Viscachera purcara and male Viscachera pusques have been examined. Of these, only Viscachera purcara was found to yield any quantity of hydrocyanic acid, but this contained a notable amount equivalent to 0-02 per cent. on the dry material. A ferment capable of hydrolizing amygdalin was also present. This particular grass therefore is dangerous to grazing stock. It is stated that native cattle refuse to touch this grass, but that imported stock graze on it with fatal results.

Hydrocyanic Acid, Phthalophenone Test Paper for the Detection of. Thiery. (Journ. Pharm. Chim. [6], 25, 51.) Weehuizen has shown that when an alkaline solution of phthalophenone is added to a liquid containing HCN, followed by a few drops of CuSO, solution, a red colour, due to the formation of phenolphthalein results. The test is rendered more delicate when it is applied with test paper prepared thus: A sheet of white filter paper is moistened with a 1 : 2,000 solution of CuSO4 dried and cut into strips. Meanwhile an alkaline solution of phthalophenone is thus prepared: 0-5 Gm. of phenolphthalein is dissolved in 30 c.c. of absolute alcohol and sufficient water is added to produce a faint turbidity; to this 20 Gm. of NaOH is added. Aluminium dust is then slowly added to the red alkaline solution until the colour is entirely discharged. Sufficient distilled water, previously boiled and kept from contact with the air, is then added to bring the volume to 150 c.c. In applying the test, the CuSO, paper is moistened with a little of this reagent and immersed in the liquid to be tested. A rose tint is obtained in the presence of 1: 2,000,000 of HCN almost at once; and with cherry laurel water diluted to 1:500 or even 1: 1,000 the tint is evident in a few hours. In a similar manner a mixture of 2 Gm. of haricot beans containing the cyanogenetic glucoside with 40 Gm. of ordinary beans, gives a sharp reaction when thus tested.

Hydrocyanic Acid, Presence of, in Java, Burma, and Haricot Beans. R. R. Tatlock and R. T. Thompson. (Analyst, 31, 250.) The colour of Javan beans is not found to be any