TWEXTY-FIRST ANNUAL MEETING. 



51 



evap 

 The 



No. 1, 

 2, 

 3, 

 4, 

 5, 

 6, 

 7, 

 8. 

 9> 

 10, 

 11. 



orated, and the residue, consisting of nearly pure theine, was dried and weighed, 

 results obtained were as follows: 

 at 90 cents per pound 2.73 per cent, theine 



3.67 

 3.10 

 2.14 

 2.69 

 2.49 

 2.53 

 3.05 

 2.12 

 2.09 

 2.21 



It woxdd apear from the foregoing that there is no fixed relation between the 

 commercial value of tea and its alkaloidal strength. A tea, for example, at 20 cents 

 per pound, has more alkaloid present than one at 50 cents per pound; and one at 90 

 cents per pound has less of theine represented than one selling at 60 cents per pound. 

 From a medical point of view, this determination is of practical value, for, contrary 

 to the general belief, physiologically considered, a tea (being valuable only in the 

 proportion of alkaloid present) is valuable or not regardless of commercial con- 

 sideration. 



THE QUALITY OF COMMERCIAL PEPPEES. 



BY PROF. L. E. SAYBE, 

 Department of Pharmacy, Kansas State UniTersitr. 



There seems to be a wide difference of opinion as to the extent of adulteration of 

 ground spices. Some hold that it is a difiicult matter to obtain a pure spice in com- 

 mon use as condiment, and others, equally good authorities, hold that, when ordinary 

 care is used in purchasing, it will be found that adulteration is the exception rather- 

 than the rule. 



To determine which of these two views is the correct one, will require much more 

 time than I have been able to give to the subject: but I have made examination of a 

 number of samples of the most familiar and largely used of all condiments — black 

 pepper — with a view of contributing something in this direction. Accordingly, ten 

 samples were obtained in open market, care being taken to not duplicate brands, 

 and to get a fair average of pepper from different sources sold in the retail stores. 

 These were all subjected to the same process of analysis. 



Before stating the result, it may be well to say that in the examination special 

 stress was laid upon the amount and character of the fixed residue, remaining after 

 the evaporation of an ethereal percolate. 



It is well known that an ethereal percolate of ground pepper contains in solution, 

 almost wholly, volatile oil, resin, and the alkaloid piperine. 



It may also be known that the evaporated residue (the fixed residue) contains 

 resin and piperine, the volatile oil having escaped during evaporation. 



The determination of ash and moisture is desirable, but not to be depended upon 

 as a method of estimating value. An excess of ash would indicate, possibly, sand or 

 earthy matter, but starch could not be detected by incineration. As to the deter- 

 mination of moisture, no reliance need be placed upon the determination of this 

 constituent, for pure pepper may vary greatly in this respect, containing from 12 to 

 9 per cent, of water. 



As stated previously, I have laid more stress upon the evaporated ethereal extract, 

 believing this data to be a surer index of power, taken by itself, than any other. I 



