ON ALKALOID IN CITRATE OF IRON AND QUININE. 
2S1 
lutely necessary, and to accomplish, this object I employed a graduated wasli- 
bottle which emitted a very fine jet of water, by which means I was enabled 
to use the same quantity of water in each case, and no more than was ab¬ 
solutely required. In drying the precipitate, I found it advantageous to 
do so by simple exposure to the air at the ordinary temperature in the first 
place, and afterwards to complete the operation by means of the hot-air ap¬ 
paratus, otherwise the alkaloid was apt to fuse and penetrate through to the 
balanced filter. 
At the commencement of my investigations I examined a specimen of 
citrate of quinine prepared by myself, so as to determine the quantity of al¬ 
kaloid obtainable from it; this I found to be about sixteen parts in twenty- 
five, or sixty-four per cent., a quantity corresponding to the statement in the 
British Pharmacopoeia. 
The following are the results of my examination of different specimens of 
citrate of iron and quinine, arranged progressively from that containing the 
least amount of citrate of quinine to those most abounding in it. 
N o. 1 was obtained from the bottle of a ship’s medicine chest and was of 
a yellowish-brown colour, having a slight olive tinge. When exposed to the 
air at a temperature of 60°, it did not absorb moisture. It readily dissolved 
in water, yielding a clear orange-brown solution, which had an acid reaction 
on test paper and possessed a most nauseous chalybeate taste and but little 
bitterness. On the addition of ammonia the quantity of precipitate obtained 
was exceedingly small, and adhered so closely to the filter that it could not 
be separated from it. 
From three analyses of twenty-five grains each I obtained 0"35, 0‘39, 039, 
mean 0376, equal to T504 per cent, of quinine, or 2'35 per cent, of citrate of 
quinine. 
This was almost entirely soluble in ether, yielding a pale-yellowish solu¬ 
tion. 
Ho. 2 consisted of bright golden-coloured scales with an olive tinge. Ex¬ 
posed to the air at a temperature of 60° it absorbed moisture, and ran into a 
dark-coloured, gum-like-looking mass. It dissolved very readily in water, 
yielding a yellow solution, which had an acid reaction upon test paper and was 
not quite clear. It possessed an exceedingly nauseous taste, being at first 
sweetish, then slightly bitter and very chalybeate. When ammonia was 
added, the quantity of precipitate thrown down was exceedingly small and 
adhered closely to the filter. 
From three analyses of twenty-five grains each I obtained 04, 037, 037, 
mean 038, equal to T52 per cent, of quinine, or 2" 375 per cent, of citrate of 
quinine. 
This was almost entirely soluble in ether, yielding a pale-coloured solu¬ 
tion. No name appears on the label, but the preparation is certified to con¬ 
tain 25 per cent, of nitrate of quinine. 
No. 3 had a fine bright, golden-yellow colour. When exposed to the air at 
a temperature of 00° the scales adhered together, but did not become very 
damp. Dissolved very readily in water yielding a clear yellow solution, which 
hed an acid reaction on test paper. Its taste was sweetish at first, and then 
more bitter and less chalybeate than either of the preceding ones. When 
treated with ammonia the quantity of precipitate was small, and on drying 
adhered so closely to the paper that it could not be separated. 
From three analyses of twenty-five grains each I obtained 0-9, 095, and 
0-95, mean 0-933, equal to 3-732 per cent, of quinine, or 5-831 per cent, of 
citrate of quinine. 
This, when treated with ether, yielded a solution of the same colour as the 
preceding, and left only a small portion insoluble. No name appears on the 
