Am.  Jour.  Pnarm.  \ 
May,  1908.  ) 
Notes  on  Some  Chemicals. 
21  I 
amined,  four  not  only  complied  with  the  specifications  (employing  o-i 
gramme),  but  three  of  them  gave  no  reaction  when  as  much  as  I 
gramme  of  the  sample  was  taken — a  very  good  showing  indeed. 
The  remaining  two  samples  gave  such  marked  reactions  that  the 
"ous"  and  "ric  "  oxides  were  determined  quantitatively. 
Hg20  HgO 
No.  i  1*26  per  cent  o*22   per  cent. 
No.  2  None   0*093  Per  cent. 
No  sulphites  or  nitrates  were  found  in  either  of  the  above.  Further 
experiments  are  being  conducted  with  the  good  samples  in  order  to 
determine,  if  possible,  the  cause  of  this  oxidation.  On  page  242  I 
would  suggest  that  the  words  "  If  a  portion  "  be  replaced  by  "  If 
01  gramme. 
FERROUS  SULPHATE. 
The  American  Steel  and  Wire  Company,  who  are  the  largest  pro- 
ducers of  ferrous  sulphate,  desiring  to  comply  with  the  requirements  of 
the  Pure  Food  and  Drug  Law,  submitted  average  samples  of  their 
products  for  examination.  These  samples  were  taken  from  large  lots 
representing  what  is  known  to  the  general  trade  as  "Bottom  Crystals," 
consisting  of  brown- colored,  oxidized,  irregular-sized  crystals,  such 
as  are  sold  for  technical  uses  only.  "  Prime  Green,"  bright,  clean 
and  large  crystals.  "  Sugar  Sulphate,"  a  slightly  effloresced  granu- 
lar powder,  corresponding  to  Ferri  Sulphas  Granulatus,  U.S. P. 
FeS04  '7  H20  of  99'5  per  cent.  (U.S. P.)  should  contain  20  per  cent,  of  ferrous  iron. 
Per  Cent.    Per  Cent. 
"  Bottom  Crystals  "  ferrous  Sulphate  9610    (=19-32  Fe  ) 
ferric  Salt  2-26    (=0-633  Fe.) 
"  Prime  Green  "  ferrous  Sulphate  98  00    (=19-70  Fe  ) 
ferric  Salt  1-51    (=  0-42  Fe.) 
"Sugar  Salt"  ferrous  Sulphate  ior6  (slightly 
effloresced  ) 
"  Drug  Store  Sample  "  .  ...   ferrous  Sulphate  9965     (=20  3  Fe.) 
ferric  Salt  traces. 
None  of  the  samples  responded  to  the  time  limit  test  for  foreign 
metals.  If  we  consider  the  44  Prime  Green  "  sample  pharmacopoeial 
(201  per  cent.  Fe),  classifying  it  among  those  chemicals  subject  to 
deterioration,  the  results  demonstrate  that  our  rubric  can  do  injus- 
tice to  no  one  purchasing  their  average  "  Green,"  crystalline  or 
granular  salts. 
Laboratory  of  New  York  College  of  Pharmacy, 
April,  1908. 
