232 
Florence discusses the assay of cinchona and outlines several meth- 
ods: (1) A simple and rapid method (a) for total alkaloids and (b) 
for quinine. (2) An exact method for total alkaloids and quinine. — 
Bull. cles. sc. pharmacol., Par., 1906, v. 13, pp. 365-368. 
Evans Sons Lescher and Webb assert that they now use the u sand ” 
method for the assay of cinchona liquid extract, extracting after- 
wards with chloroform and ammonia. They also assert that this 
method gives good results and that the alkaloidal residue is very 
clean. — Analytical Xotes for 1906, 1907. p. 12. 
Panchaud, A., points out that cinchona alkaloids in the presence 
of chloroform may be neutralized and even form acid solutions due to 
the decomposition of the chloroform into phosgen and hydrochloric 
acid. It is important that when chloroform or mixtures of chloro- 
form and ether are used for the separation of alkaloids the solvent 
be distilled off so as to avoid the possible error due to the decom- 
position of the solvent. (From Schweiz. Wchnschr. f. Chem. u. 
Pharm.) — D.-A. Apoth. Ztg., X. Y., 1906-1907, v. 27, p. 108. 
Beuttner, E., criticises the Pli. Austr. VIII method of assay for 
cinchona, and points out that there is a material loss of alkaloid in 
addition to the impracticable amount of time that is directed. (From 
Schweiz. Wchnschr. f. Chem. u. Pharm.) — Pharm. Post, Wien. 1906, 
v. 39, p. 533. 
Caesar and Loretz assert that the assay process for cinchona, of 
the Ph. Austr. VIII, gives results that are from 1 to 21 per cent 
lower than those given by the process they use. — Gescliafts.-Ber. v. 
Caesar & Loretz, in Halle a. S., 1906, p. 11. 
Philipp Beider, Wien, outlines a modified method for the assay of 
cinchona, and suggests that the amount of total alkaloid in the water 
free substance should be at least 1 per cent, and the extractive 13 
per cent. A total of 35 samples varied from 1.98 to 15.13 per cent 
ash in the air dry drug, while the alkaloid content, in the water free 
drug, varied from 0.96 to 8.80 per cent. The Ph. Austr. VIII re- 
quires that the ash content shall not exceed 6 per cent, the extractive 
be at least 15 per cent, and the total alkaloids, for water free drug, 
be at least 6 per cent. — Pharm. Post, Wien, 1906, v. 39, p. 218. 
Vanderkleed, Charles E., reports the assay of 20 lots of cinchona 
bark which averaged 6.8 per cent of total alkaloids. Three samples 
assayed below the required 5 per cent. — Proc. Pennsylvania Pharm. 
Ass., 1906, p. 122. 
Sayre, L. E., reports that four samples of cinchona bark examined 
varied from 4.58 to 2.3 per cent of total alkaloids and from 3.2 to 
1.8 per cent of ether soluble alkaloids. — Bull. Kansas Bd. Health, 
1906, v. 2, p. 171. 
Dieterich, Karl, reports that of seven samples of cinchona offered 
but one contained the required amount of total alkaloids, the remain- , 
