308 



THE AMERICAN MONTHLY 



[Sept. 



The Insolubility of Cocaine in Vaseline and Lard. 



By C. EDWARD vSAGE, F. C. S. 



Being requested to make a 5 per cent, solution of co- 

 caine in adepsine oil recently, it was found that the alka- 

 loid was scarcely soluble in that liquid except at the 

 temperature of a water bath, and even then it took some 

 time to dissolve, and on cooling the alkaloid crystallised 

 out again. 



The ' Extra Pharmacopoeia' states that cocaine is soluble 

 1 in 20 of vaseline, and I have many times prepared such 

 an ointment, but the fact that the alkaloid crystallised 

 out from adepsine oil when dissolved in it in the same 

 proportion suggested the microscopical examination of 

 some "vaseline-cocaine" 1 in 20, with the result that it 

 was found to consist of a mass of minute crystals inter- 

 spersed with vaseline. 



The accompanying drawing shows the appearance of a 

 thin layer when examined by means of a g in. objective. 



Crystals from " Vaseline-Cocaine," 1 in 20. {]^ inch objective.) 



The vaseline used for preparing the ointment showed 

 no crystals when examined in the same manner, and a 

 chemical examination of the cocaine used showed it to be 

 pure. 



An ointment was made of the same strength with lard, 

 and directly it was set it was examined microscopically, 

 and showed no signs of any crystals of cocaine, but after 



