Practical Notes from Foreign Journals.

By HANS M. WILDER.

Oils of Cassia and Cinnamon may be distinguished by their specific gravity. The former has 1.0366, and the latter 1.0097.—Rundschau, viii, p. 768.

Musk.—The German Consul-General in Shanghai states that the average annual exportation is about 3,000 catties (one catty contains 15 to 20 pods of Yunnan musk, or 20 to 25 pods of Tonquin musk); this requires 60,000 musk deer. He states further that even the best pods do not contain much more than 60 per cent. of true musk, and 30 per cent. will about represent the average.—Schweiz. Woch., xxi, p. 157.

Meat Juice.—Sippel recommends the following as the easiest way to obtain nearly all the juice:

Cut one pound of best lean beef in slices about one-third of an inch thick, and lay the slices one alongside of the other on a strip of muslin, 6 inches wide and 1 yard long, sprinkling with fine salt. Now roll up the whole strip, tie a string several times around, and put in an ordinary press. After half an hour, about half a pint of red, transparent juice will be obtained.—Pharm. Zeit. Russl., xxii, p. 600.

Precipitation.—The best way to precipitate is not to pour one solution into the other, but to pour both simultaneously, in a thin stream, into a large quantity of water.

The precipitates obtained in this way are not only in an exceedingly fine state, but also easy to wash out and dissolve.

If the two solutions differ much in specific gravity, the best way is to let the heavier run in near the top of the water, and the lighter near the bottom. If possible, both solutions ought to be brought to the same bulk.—Dieterich, Pharm. Zeit. Russl., xxiii, p. 371.

Honey.—Dieterich finds that honey kept in woods very soon ferments, while honey from the same batch kept well in glass or earthenware.—Pharm. Zeit. Russl., xxiii, p. 385.

Fixed Oils, Fats and Ointments.—Dieterich strongly recommends benzoinating them; he employs at least 10 per cent. benzoin, although for fats 20 per cent. is better. Only recently rendered fat can be preserved successfully in this way (and all ointments made with it); old and partially rancid fats are not preserved.—Ibid., xxiii, p. 386.

The American Journal of Pharmacy, Vol. 57, 1885, was edited by John M. Maisch.