The Adulteration qj Quinine. 
303 
The following are the results of our examination: 
The appearance and taste of the article were fair ; it was 
imperfectly soluble in boiling water and alcohol. Tests for 
fecula, sugar and stearine, negative, as well as for the presence 
of cinchonia. One hundred grains were treated with boiling al- 
cohol, thrown on a filter and repeatedly washed with warm al- 
cohol. The residue which was left on the filter, insoluble in 
alcohol, was carefully dried and found to consist of a dull white 
powder, without bitterness, and weighing about 12 grains. 
The alcoholic solution evaporated to dryness over a water 
bath, afforded 85 grains of a crystalline matter — having all 
the characteristics of pure sulphate of quinine ; a part of this 
last subjected to Phillips' test, with salt of barytes (nitrate or 
muriate) indicated the presence of the requisite proportion of 
sulphuric acid. Fifty grains more of the same sample were 
treated with boiling water, and the filter carefully washed as 
above. The dry residue weighed 6 grains. The residue of 
both solutions afforded the same indications as to taste and 
colour. Both dissolved readily in dilute nitric and muriatic 
acids, but sparingly in sulphuric. The solutions were all 
precipitated by carbonate of potass, by ammonia and its 
oxalate. The liquor precipitated by this last reagent, having 
been immediately filtered, showed a second precipitate by the 
addition of solution of phosphate of soda ; thus indicating the 
presence of both lime and magnesia. Five grains of the 
impurity subjected to a red heat for about ten minutes, were 
reduced by incineration to three grains of a grayish powder, 
containing visible particles of charcoal. 
From these results we should conclude that this sulphate of 
quinine contains from 12 to 15 per cent, of impurities, consist- 
ing principally of insoluble vegetable matter, lime and mag- 
nesia. 
The committee are unwilling to pronounce this article as 
intentionally adulterated by the admixture of foreign matter, 
for the purpose of defrauding the public. It has probably 
been the result of careless manipulation ; the impurities may 
have remained in the liquor with the sulphate of quinine from 
