284 ABSTRACTS OF CHEMICAL PAPERS ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS PUBLISHED IN OTHER JOURNALS. FOOD AND DRUGS ANALYSIS. Characteristics of Ghee. K. H. Vakil. (J. SOC. Chem. I d . , 1915, 34, 320.) -Fresh samples of ghee, mainly from buffalo’s milk, gave the following analytical results : 1. Bombay, A ... 2. ,, B ... 3. ,, c ... 4. ,, D ... 5. Porbunder, A ... 6. ,, B ... 7. Surat, A ... 8. B ... 9. BJiser, A ...10. ,, B ... Average ... Bu tyro - Refrac tometer at 40” C. 44.0 44.2 44.3 45.0 44.8 43.5 44.0 45.0 - - 44.35 Saponification Value. 232 -2 229.8 226.1 231.0 230.0 215.0 227.2 231.0 224.0 220.0 226.9 - Reichert-Meissl Value. . . - -- 23.98 23.43 21.87 23.10 23-76 20.46 25-30 24-63 22.1 1 21.78 - . __ - -. Acid Value. - 1.67 2-24 1-98 1-67 1-68 2.37 1.71 1.49 3.63 2.89 .93.05 1 2.14 C. A. M. In two papers (ANALYST, 1910, 35, 343; 1911, 36, 392), Bolton and Revis have drawn attention to the fact that true ghee usually gives high Reichert-Meissl figures (in the neighbourhood of 30), and that the low figures constantly obtained are usually due to adulteration.-ED. Estimation of Certain Opium Alkaloids by Decomposition of their Nethoxyl Groups. (Zeitsch.anal. Chem., 1914, 53, 673-678.)-Zeisel’s method for the estimation of methoxyl groups (ANALYST, 1886, 11, 119; 1898, 23, 297; 1904, 29, 9) may be applied to the estimation of codeine, thebaine, papaverine, narcotine, and narceine. The quantities of silver iodide yielded by 1 grm. of the respective alkaloids are-Codeine, 0-774 grm. ; thebaine, 1-90 grm. ; narcotine, 2.266 grms.; narceine, 2.110 grms. ; papaverine, 3.187 grms. Narcotine and narceine each contain, apparently, four methoxyl groups, and not three. J. Gsell and B. Marschalko. w. P. s. Oleoresin of Sand Pine. A. W. Schorger. (J. Ind. and Eng. Clzem., 1915, 7, 321-322.)--The sand pine (Pinus clausa) occurs practically nowhere but in Florida, U.S.A. The analysis of the oleoresin was as follows : Volatile oil, 18.9 ; rosin (low- grade), 72.3; trash, 2.7; and water, 6.1 per cent.The volatile oil, on fractionalBACTERIOLOGICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL, ETC. 285 distillation, was found to come over in two portions-60 per cent. between 1 6 1 O and 165" C., and 35 per cent. between 1 6 5 O and 167" C. The total volatile oil had approximately the following composition : I-a-pinene, 10 per cent.; I-camphene, 10 per cent. ; Z-/3-pinene, 75 per cent.; losses by polymerisation, etc., 5 per cent. The rosin " had an acid number of 172.5, and a saponification number of 178.7. I t yielded 4 per-cent. of resene soluble in petroleum ether, while the remainder consists mainly of abietic acid. H. F. E. H. Melting and Solidifying Point of Thymol. R. Meldrum. (Chem. News; 1915, 111, 193-195.)-The melting-point of thymol is stated by many authorities to be 44' C., and by others 50" C. It was found that the solidifying-point of thymol varies between 48.2" and 49.2' C., the variation being due to the size of bore of the test- tube employed, and also to absorption of moisture by the thymol. The higher figure is to be accepted, as it approaches more nearly the melting-point, which varies from 49" to 50' C., according to the method by which it is determined. H. F. E. H.