^October  1908™"}  American  Pharmaceutical  Association.  489 
Notes  on  the  Estimation  of  Hydrastine. 
By  Frank  R.  Eldred  and  C.  M.  Pence. 
Data  were  given  relative  to  the  purity  of  the  hydrastine  obtained 
in  assaying  golden  seal  by  different  methods.  The  estimation  of 
hydrastine  in  glycerin  solutions  was  also  considered. 
A  Note  on  the  Separation  of  Emulsions  for  Analysis. 
By  Frank  R.  Eldred  and  W.  C.  Bartholomew. 
The  authors  stated  that  practically  all  emulsions  may  be  separated 
by  alcohol  in  such  a  manner  that  the  oils,  emulsifying  agents,  and 
other  ingredients  can  be  accurately  determined  and  examined.  Re- 
sults illustrating  the  accuracy  of  the  method  were  given. 
A  Further  Study  of  the  Alkaloids  of  Gelsemium. 
By  L.  E.  Sayre. 
This  was  a  brief  review  of  former  work,  upon  the  constituents 
of  the  drug,  by  the  author.  A  review  of  Thompson's  work  on 
gelsemine  and  gelseminine  was  given,  and  further  progress  in  the 
investigation  of  these  two  alkaloids  of  Thompson,  by  employing  40 
pounds  of  the  drug  from  which  the  alkaloids  were  extracted  and 
the  resulting  principles  examined  was  reported.  Physiological  tests 
were  made  of  the  products.  A  process  for  the  assay  of  gelsemium 
preparations  was  also  suggested. 
The  author  says  that  Havenhill's  gravimetric  process  gives  results 
which  are  entirely  too  high  on  account  of  adherent  coloring  matter, 
but  that  the  Webster  general  process  for  alkaloids  which  is  given 
in  the  American  Journal  of  Pfiarmacy  for  July,  1907,  and  applied 
by  him  (see  Proceedings  Amer.  Pharm.  Ass'n,  1907,  p.  356)  is 
decidedly  the  most  favorable  process  for  alkaloidal  gelsemium 
estimation.  Care  has  to  be  used  in  shaking  out  the  alkaloid  that 
no  emulsion  occurs.  This  can  be  obviated  by  avoiding  vigorous 
shaking  during  the  process.  The  great  advantage  of  the  Webster 
process  is  that  the  final  solution  for  titration  is  apparently  free  from 
coloring  matter.  It  has  only  a  slight  fluorescence  and  makes  an 
ideal  solution  for  titration.  As  an  indicator  Mr.  Webster  prefers 
a  solution  of  iodeosin  in  water  saturated  mth  ether,  the  neutral 
point  being  determined  by  noting  the  color  of  the  mixture  on 
agitating.   His  results  were  obtained  by  using  cochineal  as  indicator. 
