February 4,1871.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
G21 
THE QUALITY OF CHLORAL HYDRATE. 
BY B. H. TAUL, PH.D. 
Considering the importance of the question that 
lias been raised as to this preparation and as to the 
substitution for it of another compound of chloral— 
the alcoholate—possessing therapeutic properties 
different from those of true chloral hydrate, it 
seemed to me worth while to make an examination 
of some samples as they are met with in the market 
and in use by dispensers. 
The data given by Mr. Mason in the paper read 
by him before the Liverpool Chemists’ Association 
on the 22nd December, and subsequently published 
in this Journal, would appear to indicate at least the 
existence of a very great dissimilarity in the chloral 
preparations manufactured by different firms ; for 
even on the assumption that the samples referred to 
by Mr. Mason were all choral hydrate, the data he 
gives as the results of his anatyses would indicate 
an inferiority of some samples to the extent of 20 
per cent, as compared with others, besides at the 
same time suggesting the possibility that some of 
these samples might consist of chloral alcoholate. 
For the objects necessary to be kept in view in 
this Journal, it does not appear to me either requi¬ 
site or desirable that, in considering the question as 
to the quality of chloral preparations, there should 
be any reference by name either to the particular 
makers or dealers from whom certain samples have 
been obtained. The great point is to ascertain 
whether any such variation in quality as that pointed 
to by Mr. Mason’s results does really prevail, so as 
to be of practical importance in regard to the medi¬ 
cinal use of this drug. I shall, therefore, abstain 
from any mention of names either of the manufac¬ 
turer or others from whom I have obtained samples 
for examination, and will content myself with stating 
my results merely in reference to numbers and to the 
characters of the preparations operated upon. 
Adopting the ammonia test originally suggested 
by Mr. Williams, and since worked out in detail by 
Mr. Umney, I have applied it to the examination 
of twelve samples of chloral preparations which were 
obtained from various sources, and were all furnished 
to me as being chloral hydrate representing the 
supply now in the market. 
Each of these samples was treated in the manner 
described by Mr. Umney, a somewhat smaller quan¬ 
tity, however, being taken for the experiment. 
According to the composition of pure chloral hy¬ 
drate, 100 grains of it should yield in this way 72’2 
grains of chloroform, or 72‘2 per cent, by weight. 
That quality of chloroform having the density of 1‘497 
would be in volume 48'2 grain-measures, so that 100 
grains of pure chloral hydrate should yield by decom¬ 
position with ammonia, that measure of cliloroform. 
In like manner 100 grains of the compound of 
chloral with alcohol would by decomposition with 
ammonia yield 6F75 grains of chloroform, or 6175 
per cent, by weight, this being in volume 4l‘2 
grain-measures. 
The following are the results I have obtained for 
100 grains of each preparation examined :— 
No. of 
Sample. 
! 
Characters. 
Volume of 
Chloroform 
obtained. 
Grain- 
measures. 
Equal to 
Grains 
weight. 
Percentage 
of 
Chloroform 
by weight. 
1. 
White amorphous dry lumps. 
46T 
691 
6910 
2. 
Hard transparent fragments of crystals. 
48-0 
71-8 
71-86 
3. 
Thin translucent crystalline cake. 
48-0 
71-8 
71-86 
4. 
White opaque cake, apparently not quite dry, especially at one 
surface. 
42-0 
62-8 
62-87 
5. 
Very small crystals, aggregated into translucent lumps, with a slightly 
moist appearance. 
47-0 
70-3 
70-36 
6. 
White semitranslucent cake, with slightly moist appearance . . . 
48-0 
71-8 
71-86 
ry 
i. 
Translucent crystalline cake, consisting of small scaly crystals, moist 
and greasy to the touch. 
47-5 
711 
71-10 
8. 
Large tabular crystals, like chlorate of potash. 
44-0 
64-8 
64-86 
9. 
Translucent lumps, consisting of scaly crystals, slightly moist to the 
touch. 
45-0 
673 
67-36 
10. 
Small acicular crystals, apparently breaking up into scales when 
rubbed in the hand, slightly moist to the touch. 
47-0 
70-3 
70-30 
11. 
White opaque lumps, resembling effloresced carbonate of ammonia, 
with distinct crystalline fracture, translucent at the interior and 
greasy to the touch. 
46 5 
694 
69-40 
12. 
Chloral alcoholate*. 
37-5 
56T 
56"13 
13. 
Pure chloral alcoholate. 
41-2 
61-7 
61-76 
14. 
Pure chloral hydrate... 
48-2 
722 
72-20 
* For tlie specimens I am indebted to Mr. John Williams. 
These results differ widely from those reported by 
Mr. Mason, and it will be seen that, so far as the 
samples I have obtained represent the chloral pre¬ 
parations of commerce, there does not seem to be a 
very great difference of quality if the yield of cliloro- 
lorm be taken as a criterion. 
To a certain extent I believe this may be done; 
but at the same time, on looking over the results 
Third Series, No. 32. 
given in the table, it will be seen that those samples 
which consisted of crystals almost invariably gave the 
largest amount of chloroform. 
This fact, together with the more definite cha¬ 
racter of the crystallized chloral hydrate, as com¬ 
pared with the cake, induces me to suggest that, 
for dispensing purposes, the material should a - 
ways be used in the state of crystal. 1 do no 
