THE ALUMNI JOURNAL, 



263 



THE HOST RECENT WORK. 



Neiv Test for Mercuric Chloride in Calomel- 

 — To ascertain the presence of mercuric chloride 

 in calomel, the following test has been recom- 

 mended (P/iarm.four., LV. p. 75): The calo- 

 mel (2 to 3 grains) is mixed with a drop of a 10 

 per cent, alcoholic soap solution and a drop of 

 alcoholic solution of guaiacum resin freshly 

 prepared, and the mixture well stirred with 2 

 c.c. of ether. If mercuric chloride is present, 

 it will be indicated by an intense green colora- 

 tion being produced on evaporating the ethereal 

 solution — Merck's Report. 



Absorbent Blocks for Drying Precipitates. — 

 Moist precipitates are found by Austen and 

 Broadhurst (P/iarm. four. ) to dry readily on 

 absorbent blocks made by thoroughly mixing 

 equal parts of plaster of Paris and infusorial 

 earth, moistening with water sufficiently to work 

 easily and placing in molds made of glass, 

 slightly greased to prevent sticking. When set, 

 the blocks are removed and heated for a day or 

 two in an air chamber at ioo° to i2o°C. to free 

 them from hygroscopic moisture. In use, the 

 filtering paper containing the moist precipi- 

 tate is placed on the smooth side of the block. 



A New Test for Curcuma. — In powdered 

 drugs such as rhubarb and mustard, is given 

 (Pharm. Centralh., XXXVI, p. 407), as follows: 

 A small quantity of the powdered drug is mixed 

 wiih a few drops of either anise or fennel oil, 

 and the mixture examined by means of a micro- 

 scope. A yellow coloration of the oil indicates 

 the presence of curcuma. — Merck's Report 



Detection of Ergot in Bran. — The method of 

 E. Hofmann, according to Ulbricht, is useless 

 if bran contains the seeds of Polygonum convol- 

 vulus. The author finds that 0.2 per cent, of 

 ergot, and even smaller quantities, can be de- 

 tected microscopically if the bran is previously 

 digested for two hours on the water bath with 

 sulphuric acid at 1.25 per cent., then with soda- 

 lye of the same strength, and, lastly, treated 

 in the cold with absolute alcohol and ether. — 

 Zeit. Anal. Chem. — Br. and Col. Dr. 



Assay of Ergot. — A. R. h. Dohme has made 

 a study of Ergot in reply to a query of the A. 

 Ph. A. The method of analysis was based on 

 Keller's Assay process. 



Keller has isolated a body which he calls 

 Cornutine, which he claims is an alkaloid and 

 the active principle of Ergot. He has prepared 

 salts of it, but not in sufficient quantities to 

 warrant chemical examination and analysis. 



For the present, all that can be published are 

 the assays of the various kinds of Ergot obtain- 

 able in this market by this market by the 

 method of Keller; assuming that the semi- 

 crystalline residue which is thus obtained, and 

 which dissolves in acids, is a homogeneous sub- 

 stance. Keller's method of assay is given below. 

 Ergot in powder, 25 grams. Percolate with 

 petroleum ether until a drop no longer leaves a 

 residue on evaporation. Dry and put into a 

 flask, and add 100 grams etber. Then add milk 

 of magnesia ( 10 grams MgO to 20 cc. H 2 0). 

 Shake well, when the Ergot balls together, and 

 continue shaking for half an hour. Pour off 80 

 grams ethereal solution, or an aliquot part (4 

 grams representing 1 gram Ergot). If not clear, 

 let stand several hours and filter. Shake out 

 with o 5 per cent, hydrochloric acid solution in 

 three portions of 25, 15 and 10 cc. respectively 

 until Mayer's solution no longer gives a precipi- 

 tate. If the acid solution is flocculent, filter 

 after adding some powdered talcum. Shake 

 out acid solutions with anequal amount of ether 

 after adding ammonia in excess. Repeat three 

 times and distill ether from tarred flask.* 



By applying this method of assay to samples 

 of Spanish, German and Russian Ergot obtain- 

 ed in New York, the following results were ob- 

 tained : 



German Ergot, (a) 01.15 P er cent, cornutine 

 of Keller, (b) 0.14 per cent, cornutine of Keller, 

 (c) 0.15 per cent, cornutine of Keller, mean 

 0.15 per cent. 



Spanish Ergot (a) 0.29 per cent, cornutine of 

 Keller, (b) 0.28 per cent, cornutine of Keller, 

 (c) o 29 per cent, cornutine of Keller, mean 0.29 

 per cent. 



Russian Ergot (a) o. 18 per cent, cornutine of 

 Keller, (b) 0.19 per cent, cornutine of Keller, 

 (c) o. 17 per cent cornutine of Keller, mean 0.18 

 per cent. 



Until we know more of this cornutine of Kel- 

 ler, the best we can say is that Spanish Ergot is 

 more valuable than Russian Ergot and this 

 more valuable than German Ergot. Keller has 

 made the interesting observation that Ergot by 

 aging becomes weaker in cornutine, or; in other 

 words, loses its strength ; for a sample of Ger- 

 man Ergot which he assayed and which he 

 knew to be several years old, he found to con- 

 tain considerably less cornutine than fresher 

 Ergot which he assayed. Should subsequent 

 work show that Keller's cornutine is the active 



The Cornutine can be obtained in crystals if the 

 ethereal solution is allowed to evaporate spontaneously 

 and slowly. 



