THE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY. 255 



When, beginning with No. 6, epidemic like, nearly every specimen sub- 

 mitted was worthless, an order was given to an agent in Germany to 

 forward a lot of wild leaf collected just before flowering and also one col- 

 lected while in bloom. That collected before flowering is represented by 

 No. 15, the other by No. 16 ; in both, as probably in all cases where bel- 

 ladonna leaf is referred to, the leaves and tops were collected. No. 16 

 also contained a considerable number of flowers. That the mature leaves 

 are richer in alkaloid, is further demonstrated by Nos. 17, 18 and 19, which 

 consisted of the leaves and tops and contained many seed capsules filled 

 with well-matured seeds. Nos. 1 and 2 were unfortunately powdered be- 

 fore they were submitted to me for assay, so that no conclusions could be 

 drawn from these. 



The following table shows the alkaloidal content of a number of fluid 

 extracts purchased in original containers, and will also give an idea of the 

 quality of the drug in the market : 



Number. Standard claimed. Alkaloid found. 7 



i 0.35 per cent, by acid titration 0.356 per cent. 



2 . . 0.35 " " " " 0.353 



3 . . none. 0.313 



4 . . 0.35 per cent, by acid titration ......... 0.401 



5 . . .04 " natural alk. by weight 0.228 



6 . , none. o. 156 



7 . . " 0.149 



S . . " 0.173 



9 . . " 0.228 



10 . . 0.35 per cent, by acid titration 0.360 



It is seen that those fluid extracts for which a standard is claimed (0.35 

 per cent., alkaloid by acid titration is the value commonly adopted) usually 

 come up to it while the remaining fall below this figure. While the lower 

 alkaloidal content of the unassayed fluid extracts may be due to faulty 

 methods of manufacture, it is far more probable that it is due to the drug 

 used. No. 5 is seen to contain 0.288 per cent, according to my assay, 

 while an alkaloidal strength of 0.4 per cent, is claimed for it ; yet, this 

 must not be taken as a wilful misstatement, for it is stated to contain 0.4 

 per cent, of natural alkaloid by weight, whereby it is meant that the (im- 

 pure) alkaloidal residue as extracted in the assay was weighed and from 



