MOTE ON AROMATIC SULPHURIC ACIO. 
471 
added, some citrate of quinine remains undissolved, but most of the solid matter 
goes into solution, and, after a time, citrate of quinine is sometimes deposited in 
minute crystals on the sides of the bottle. Lastly, if the solids be rubbed 
together in a mortar with a few drops of water for a minute or two, and the 
rest of the water be then gradually added, a mixture will be obtained which 
certainly is not clear, and the aqueous portion of which will probably not be 
saturated with citrate of quinine for several hours—for citrate of quinine is one 
of those substances which do not readily redissolve in water—but which will 
always have the same appearance when dispensed, and the citrate of quinine of 
which, being wholly formed at once in the mortar, will be less likely to deposit 
on the sides of the bottle than when produced after the materials are mixed in 
the bottle. This third method of admixture is, then, that which the dispenser 
would probably select. 
These experiments with citrate of quinine afforded an opportunity of clearing 
up one little point connected with the composition of the salt,—so far, that is, as 
its water of crystallization is concerned. The formula commonly accorded to 
citrate of quinine is,— 
(C 20 H 24 N 2 O 2 ) 2 , H 3 C 6 H s 0 7 , 5H 2 0. # 
5H 2 0 requires, however, 9-68 per cent, of water, whereas in the published 
analyses 10‘6 is the amount said to have been obtained. On drying a quan¬ 
tity of the pure crystals in a water oven, I found 977 per cent, of water had 
been expelled. This is very near the proportion demanded by theory, and con¬ 
firms the accuracy of the stated formula. 
The Chairman remarked that he believed some of the difficulties alluded to 
by Dr. Attfield were experienced in the making of quinine wine ; sometimes it 
would be quite bright, and at other times a change in the temperature of the 
atmosphere would cause it to appear cloudy. 
NOTE ON AROMATIC SULPHURIC ACID. 
BY PROFESSOR ATTFIELD. 
A short time ago I was asked whether or not the officialf aromatic sulphuric 
acid contained sulphovinic acid. Aromatic sulphuric acid is made by mixing 
gradually 3 volumes of sulphuric acid with 40 of rectified spirit, and then 
adding certain aromatics (cinnamon and ginger). Sulphovinic acid is also 
made by mixing sulphuric acid and spirit, but the volumes should be equal, the 
alcohol as nearly absolute as convenient, a temperature considerably above that 
of boiling water applied to the mixture, and the material allowed to digest 
together for twenty-four hours: even then the whole of the alcohol is not 
converted into sulphovinic acid. From these facts we should infer that sulpho¬ 
vinic acid is not formed to any considerable extent in making aromatic sulphuric 
acid. Still there is some rise of temperature in mixing 3 volumes of sulphuric 
acid with 40 of rectified spirit, hence the production of a small quantity of 
sulphovinic acid might be considered possible. To ascertain whether or not 
this were so, a portion of the diluted spirit was treated with carbonate of 
* C= 12; 0 = 16. 
t The Pharmacopoeia and all in it is official {office, Fr. from L. officium, an office). There 
are many things which in pharmacy are officinal (Fr. from L. officina, a shop) but not official. 
To restrict the word officinal, first to the contents of a pharmacist’s shop, and, second, to that 
portion of the contents which is Pharmacopoeial is radically wrong, and in future should be 
avoided.—J. A. 
