l82 



THE ALUMNI JOURNAL. 



Often samples analyzed only three were equal 

 to or above the standard — 80 per cent. — required 

 by the pharmacopceia of uncombined iron. 

 The remainder were from 16 to 60 per cent, 

 below the standard, while two contained from 

 2 to 5 per cent, less of total iron than that re- 

 quired of the free uncombined iron. 



" From these analyses," the author states, "it 

 appears that the preparation isof a very inferior 

 quality, and presents an item which should not 

 be treated lightly by pharmacists." 



A tabulated statement of results also accom- 

 panies the paper. 



Whitk Castilk Soap. Samuel R. Knox dis- 

 cusses the materials of which soap is made. 

 The analyses include — 



1. Estimation of water. 



2. Estimation of unsaponified matter. 



3. Estimation of relative proportions of fatty 

 and alkali. 



He concludes that white castile soap of the 

 market is h'ghly adulterated with other oils. 



Tabulated results of the analysis of eight 

 samples of white castile soap follows, 



A Microscopical Study of Cicuta macu- 

 LATA ( Water Hemlock). By F. Lyle Robert- 

 son. Illustrated by seven drawings of different 

 sections of the root only. 



Glycerin of the Market. By J. L,. Te- 

 garden. Thirteen samples of all grades and 

 brands were examined, as follows ; 



Sp. Gravity. 



Dextrose and Sugar. 



Fixed impurities. 



Acids. 



Salts — Calcium. 



Chlorides. 



Arsenic. 



The results all tabulated. 



Experimental Work on the Solvent 

 Power of Alcoholic Menstrua. L. D. 

 Haverhill. 



"The laboratory notes on 'The variation of 

 menstrua in fluid extracts.' By Professor E. I/. 

 Patch, afl'orded a suggestion that one might en- 

 ter upon an interesting and beneficial line of 

 experiments to determine the menstrua best 

 adapted for obtaining the active principles of 

 drugs free from their inert extractives. Ac- 

 cordingly, a series of experiments were made 

 on ten of the more potent medicinal drugs, 

 using menstrua of varying proportions of alco- 

 hol and water." 



" No general relation was found to exist be- 

 tween the per cent, of extractive and the per 

 cent, of alkaloids." 



He concludes by saying " It was very grati- 

 fying to note that menstrua directed by the 

 present pharmacopoeia were in nearly every in- 

 stance the ones best fitted for extracting the 

 active principles of the drugs on which experi- 

 ments were made." 



Three very complete and valuable tables ac- 

 company the work. 



Notes on the Behavior of Albuminate 

 OF Iron and Ferratin with Artificial 

 Gastric Juice. J. O. Schlotterbeck and S. R. 

 Boyce. 



In a recent paper which was read before the 

 Cincinnati Academy of Medicine by Dr. G. A. 

 Fackler, the following advantages of Ferratin 

 over all other artificial albuminates of iton are 

 claimed : 



" I. In Ferratin we have a compound which 

 because of the fact that it is not altered in the 

 stomach or intestinal track is wholly absorbed 

 and made available. 



" 2. Ferratin, due to the intimate union be- 

 tween it (iron) and the albumen is so closely 

 attacked by the sulphuretted hydrogen that it 

 is absorbed before an alteration into the sul- 

 phide can occur. 



"3. Since, as a rule, the food which we in- 

 gest has been subjected to heat during the pro- 

 cess of its preparation, and since in the above 

 process — that of separating the natural iron com- 

 pound from pig's liver — no other force but heat 

 has been employed, we undoubtedly secure in 

 this compound that form of iron which enters 

 the stomach with animal food and which is in 

 part absorbed and deposited in the various or- 

 gans." 



The results of their analysis are tabulated be- 

 low ; 



Albumeiiate of Iron. 



Pale red powder. 



Iron, 2. 1 per cent. 



Insoluble in water. 



Soluble in dil. alkalies. 



Soluble in dil. acids. 



Begins to blacken with 

 Aiu. S. in fi^e seconds. 



Pepsin and HCl converts 

 43 per cent, of the iron 

 into ferrous and ferric 

 chloride by one diges- 

 tion. 



By removing the peptones, 

 etc., and subjecting to 

 second digestion 42 per 

 cent, more of the iron is 

 converted into the inor- 

 ganic form, or a total of 

 8, per cent of the origi- 

 nal iron. 



It will be seen that ferratin possesses no great 



advantage over ordinary albumenate of iron. — 



(Amer. Phar. Assoc. Meeting, 1893). 



Ferratin. 



Dark blown powder. 



Iron, 5.4 per cent. 



Insoluble in water. 



Solublj in di . alkalies. 



Soluble in dil acids. 



Begins to blacken with 

 Am. S. in 20 seconds. 



Pepsin and HCl converts 

 yjY^ per cent, of the iron 

 into ferrous and ferric 

 chloride by one diges- 

 tion. 



]!y subjecting to same 

 operation 43 per cent, 

 more of the iron is con- 

 verted into the inorganic 

 form, or a total of So per 

 cent, of the original 

 iron. 



