THE ANALYST. 111 A NEW RE-ACTION FOR TEfYMOL OR PHENOL. [BY PEOF. J. E'. EYKMAN, TORIO, JAPAN.] IF a small cryatal of thymol is dissolved in about 1 cubic centimeter of glacial acetio acid, and this solution mixed with about one-fifth .its volume ( 5 to 6 drops) of concen- trated sulphuric acid, a fine blue colour is produced by allowing one drop of nitric acid to flow down to the bottom of the test-tube. On shaking, the whole liquid acquires this blue colour. In presence of not too small a quantity of thymol, the liquid appears dichroic, being red by transmitted, and dark blue by refiected, light. Pheqol differs from thymol, in this re-action, by causing the appearance of a fine violet red colour. Salicylic acid, menthol, camphol, and borne01 give no colour re-action under the above conditions.-Amsricafi Druggist.112 THE ANL4LYST.ILLUMINATWO GAS FRON FERXENTING Mmum.-M. Gayon has demonstrated to the Paris Acstd6mie des Sciences the possibility of obtaining illuminating gas in oonsiderable quantity from the fermentation of cow and horse droppings. This material is subject to fermentations of different orders, accordingly as it i s kept in a close receptacle or allowed free access of air. In the latter use its temperature rises rapidly, and there is a great evolufion of carbonic acid ; while in the, former the temperature remains fairly con- stant, and there is an active prodimtion of carburetted hydrogen, mixed with oarbonic mid. The evolution of carburetted hydrogen is ascribed to the agmcy of o r g a b s infinitely small, but differing in kind from those found in &Grated manure.These have been isolated, and have been observed to occasion the evolution of the same gases from pure cellulose. The earburetted hydrogen disengaged from fresh manure kept in a close box, one meter square, has’ been colleoted by M, Gayon and burnt before a soientifio sooiety at Bordeaux. The volume of carburetted hydrogen giren off by 1 cubic meter of fresh horse droppings is about 100 liters, or 3.53 cubic feet, per twenty-four hours. M. Pasteur suggests that as this method of preserving manure in close storage retains ammonia, it is poslrible that in certain circiuastances it might be utilised for the purpose of gupplytng a useful heating and.lighting gas without injury t o &he value of the fertilize.r.-&ie&@ AmevicaB.TEE annual report of Mr. B. I?. Davenport,Vinegar Inspeotor of Boston, shows a decided improvement in the quality of that article during the year ending April, 1884. In 68 cases the inepector has sent EL b L note of warning to the deaIer, which, in most instances, was all that was necessary to remedy the evil. In a few cases prosecutions have been @stitu&d for violation of the law. m e standard is fixed at 5 per cent. by weight of absolute acetio add? and for cider-vinegar, a reJidue of not less than 1 . 5 per oent. of solids. The report gives the metbod employed for determining the acidity and kolid re,Gdue of a vinegar. LAW REPORTS. BRISTOL POLICE COUR!F.-CE~~~E OF SELLING ADULTEBATED M ~ ~ x . - ~ w i n Hands, residing at 19, Christmas Street, wa8 summoned for selling 18 pints of milk, the same being adidterated.Nr. R. Wambrough appeared for the defendant. Police-hspector Cooper, C Division, skated. that he purchased the l+ pints of mill<, and told defendant it was for analysis. He produced the certificate of the city analyst, which showed that the milk was adulterated to thb extent of eight per cent. of added water. Nr. Wansbrough drew fhe attention of the magistrates to the well-known fact that water was found in milk, and that the quality varied in two different milking8 from the same animal. He quoted a ease reported in the ‘‘ Jugtice of the Peace,” showing that an officer from Somerset House submitted a sample of milk which he had himself drawn from the oow, which was found to contain 74 per cent. of water.The Bench were not satisfied that the water proved to be in the milk was added water, and dismissed the case. RECENT CEEMICAL PATENTS. The following spee3kations have been recently published, and can be obtained from the Groat Seal Offioe, Cursitor Street, Chancery Lane, London No. Name of Patentee. Title of Patent. Prioe 1479 T. Venables . . . . . . Purifying the Spent Lyes formed during the Manufacture of Soap, and the Production of Liquor-from which Glycerine can be obtained . . . . . . . . 2d. 1491 E. R. Southby . . . . Manufacture of Caramel . . . . . . . . . . 2d. 1556 J. h a y . . . . . . Extracting Gobalk andManganese fiom their Ores . . . . 2d. 384 J. Cross$ G. I. J. W e b .. Filtering Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2d. 710 E. T. Hughes . . . . Oxidising Alcohols, &c. . . . . . . . . . . 2d. 1407 T. Bowen . . . . . . Treating Ores or Regulus for &traction of Metals .. 2d. 1519 A. J. Struthers . . . . Pulvedsiqg and TreatingDiamondifemus Ores, &c. .. 6d. BOOKS, &c., RECEIVED. The Chemist and Druggist ; The Brewers’ Guardian ; The British Medical Journal : The Phama- ceutical Journal ; The Sanitary Record ; The Miller ; The Provisioner ; The Practitioner ; New Remedies ; Proceedings of the American Chemioal Society ; The Inventors’ Record ; New Pork Public Health ; The Scientific American ; Society of Arts Journal ; Sanitary Engineer of N e w Pork ; Cowkeeper and Dairyman’s Journd ; Sugar Case ; Country Brewers’ Gazette ; The Medical Record ; The Grooers’ Gazette ; London Water Supply, by Crookes, Odling and Tidy ; CHmnical Review ; Independent Oil and Drug Journal and Paint Review ; Bcicnco Monthly ; Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry,