Sulphate of Quinine. — M. M. Pelletier and Desprez have patented the 
following improvements in manufacturing sulphate of quinine. Their 
principal object is the production of sulphate of quinine by means of dis- 
tilled or expressed oils, whether derived from vegetable, animal, or mi- 
neral substances, and without the aid of alcohol. Where a distilled oil 
is intended to be used, the bark having been treated by acids, and having 
precipitated the quinine and the other soluble matter by means of lime, 
in the usual method, the calcareous precipitate is to be dried and reduced 
to a fine powder; it is then to be treated several times, say seven or 
eight, with the oil intended to be used ; and from experience, oil of tur- 
pentine has been found to answer best. The oil is then to be separated 
by decantation or filtration. When expressed oil is used, care must be 
taken that the lime be all extracted, otherwise an insoluble soap of lime 
would be formed. The precipitate must then be dissolved in an acid, 
and the rough quinine precipitated by ammonia ; when in this state it 
must be treated with oil several times, which will dissolve the quinine, 
and separate it from all foreign bodies. After thus obtaining the quinine 
in solution, the oil is to be treated with water acidulated with any acid 
capable of forming a soluble salt with the quinine, (hydrochloric is the 
best,) the acidulated water separates the quinine from the oil, the separa- 
tion being easily effected by decantation, as the two liquids having dif- 
ferent specific gravities, will not unite. The quinine thus dissolved is to 
be precipitated by an alkali, and afterwards formed into a sulphate by 
the addition of sulphuric acid, having been previously whitened by ani- 
mal charcoal. Repert. of Arts. 
Cyanide of Gold. M. 0. Figuier, of Montpelier, has lately made some 
interesting remarks on the cyanide of gold. To obtain it, he decomposes 
the chloride of gold with the cyanide of potassium, as has been recom- 
mended by others ; but he states that many precautions are necessary to 
procure it in a pure state. The chloride must be as neutral as possible, 
which can only be done by recrystallizing this salt several times. The 
cyanide must not be alkaline, or contain any formiate or carbonate of 
potash. This salt is to be added to the solution of the chloride of gold 
very cautiously, as long as there is any precipitate, taking care that there 
Vol. I. —No. T. 11 
