AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ETHICS. 
295 
of this journal (p. 187), we gave a statement based solely upon the manufacturer’s cir¬ 
cular (not then having examined the article), from which we naturally inferred it to be 
the alkaloid quinia, associated with liquorice sugar. The following are the paragraphs: 
* Sweet quinine is as definite a chemical salt as the sulphate (or bitter) quinine, is made 
direct from the same source, Peruvian bark; has, like it, positive tonic and antiperiodic 
power,’ etc. 
“‘In sweet quinine each atom of the alkaloid is enveloped in glicion , the sweet prin¬ 
ciple of liquorice, and it forms an aggregation of minute sugar-coated molecules of 
quinine.’ Nothing is said about any other alkaloid than quinia, and it is clearly in¬ 
tended that the reader should infer from the words used that the manufacturer’s skill 
has succeeded in combining free quinine with glycyrrhizin in lieu of sulphuric acid, so 
as to mask its bitterness. 
“Having within a few days (June 28) had our suspicion excited, we determined to 
examine it, and have satisfied ourselves that this so-called sweet quinine is no quinine 
at all, but mainly the alkaloid civchonia precipitated from the sulphate, dried and 
triturated with an impure glycyrrhizin prepared from liquorice root. Cinchonia is very 
insoluble, requiring nearly 4000 parts of cold water, hence the tastelessness of ‘ sweet 
quinine,’ and its bitterness with acid or alcoholic fluids which salify and dissolve it. The 
substance associated w'ith it is nearly all removed by hot water, to which it gives a 
straw-colour. It froths much by agitation, and has a power of suspending or emulsify¬ 
ing the finely powdered cinchonia. These statements are based on the following ex¬ 
periments :—Sweet quinine laid on reddened litmus paper, and touched with a drop of 
alcohol, restores its blue tint immediately. The same occurs more slowly with a drop 
of water. It is almost -wholly soluble in boiling alcohol in excess, yielding a light 
straw-coloured alkaline solution. Treated with boiling water, and well washed on a 
filter, it yields about 25 per cent, of its weight to that fluid, which acquires a straw 
colour, froths much by agitation, is without bitterness, and not precipitated by sub¬ 
acetate of lead or alcohol. Weak iodine water gives a greenish colour w r hich soon fades, 
indicative of a trace of starch. Evaporated, this liquid deepens in colour, and separates 
a dark film which remains insoluble. As the liquid concentrates, its sweetness increases, 
and its taste is that of liquorice root. The residue insoluble in water was dried and 
treated with boiling alcohol, in which it dissolves, except some flocculent impurities of 
a dark colour, probably derived from the liquorice root. The alcoholic solution precipi¬ 
tated crystals by cooling and by evaporation, on standing. 
“ These crystals were soluble in dilute sulphuric acid, forming a crystalline salt, which, 
when dissolved in an excess of chlorine water, gave, on the addition of ammonia, a white 
precipitate, like cinchonia produces, without the slightest trace of green to indicate quinia. 
When the salt was added to a solution of ferrocyanide of potassium (Dr. Bill’s test for 
cinchonia), a yellow curdy precipitate fell, which by gently heating became crystalline 
on cooling. When the salt is dissolved in a little water in a test-tube, and ether added, 
followed by ammonia, and shaken, the liquids separate and leave a whitish insoluble 
layer at their juncture. When treated by Herapath’s test, no indication of green Hera- 
pathite crystals was obtained, but the brown precipitate, followed, on standing, by the 
dense, almost black crystals usual with cinchonia. There can be no doubt, from these 
results, that ‘sweet quinine’ consists of about three parts of cinchonia, and one of im¬ 
pure glycyrrhizin. Quite possibly there may be some cinc.honidin also present, in small 
quantity, but no examination has been made for it. To what extent the glycyrrhizin 
acts as an acid towards the cinchonia we do not know, but its well-known affinity for 
bases renders it quite possible that such a relation might exist, though we incline to 
believe the union to be mechanical by trituration, as stated by the circular. We confess 
to being surprised at this result, when viewed in connection with the circular of Mr. 
Stearns. The morale of the affair is doubtful,— cinchonia, however tasteless, is not 
quinine, nor does its commercial value approach that of quinine so nearly as it is made 
to do in the garb of ‘ sweet quinine.’ When physicians want cinchonia they can get 
it by prescription, and it is not in accordance with our ideas of fair dealing to serve it 
up as a new substance.” 
This subject was taken cognizance of by the American Pharmaceutical Asso¬ 
ciation, at a meeting recently held (in September last) at Chicago. 
The maker and advertiser of the so-called “ Sweet Quinine ” being a member 
