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304  "SWEET  qfinine:"  what  is  it? 
rated,  this  liquid  deepens  in  color,  and  separates  a  dark  film 
which  remains  insoluble.  As  the  liquid  concentrates  its  sweet- 
ness increases,  and  its  taste  is  that  of  liquorice  root.  The  resi- 
due insoluble  in  water  was  dried  and  treated  with  boiling  alcohol, 
in  which  it  dissolves,  except  some  flocculent  impurities  of  a  dark 
color,  probably  derived  from  the  liquorice  root.  The  alcoholic 
solution  precipitated  crystals  by  cooling  and  by  evaporation, 
on  standing. 
These  crystals  were  soluble  in  dilute  sulphuric  acid,  forming  a 
crystalline  salt,  which,  when  dissolved  in  an  excess  of  chlorine 
water,  gave,  on  the  addition  of  ammonia  a  white  precipitate,  like 
cinchonia  produces,  without  the  slightest  trace  of  green  to  indi- 
cate quinia.  When  the  salt  was  added  to  a  solution  of  ferrocy- 
anide  of  potassium,  (Dr.  Bill's  test  for  cinchonia)  a  yellow  curdy 
precipitate  fell,  which  by  gently  heating  became  crystalline  on 
cooling.  When  the  salt  is  dissolved  in  a  little  water  in  a  test 
tube,  and  ether  added  followed  by  ammonia,  and  shaken,  the 
liquids  separate  and  leave  a  whitish  insoluble  layer  at  their 
juncture.  When  treated  by  Herapath's  test  no  indication  of 
green  Herapathite  crystals  was  obtained  but  the  brown  precipi- 
tate, followed  on  standing  by  the  dense,  almost  black  crystals 
usual  with  cinchonia.  There  can  be  no  doubt,  from  these  re- 
sults, that  "  sweet  quinine  "  consists  of  about  three  parts  of 
cinchonia  and  one  of  impure  glycyrrhizin.  Quite  possibly  there 
may  be  som6  cinchonidin  also  present,  in  small  quantity,  but 
no  examination  has  been  made  for  it.  To  what  extent  the 
glycyrrhizin  acts  as  an  acid  towards  the  cinchonia  we  do  not 
know,  but  its  well-known  affinity  for  bases  renders  it  quite 
possible  that  such  a  relation  might  exist,  though  we  incline  to 
believe  the  union  to  be  mechanical  by  trituration,  as  stated  by 
the  circular.  We  confess  to  being  surprised  at  this  result, 
when  viewed  in  connection  with  the  circular  of  Mr.  Stearns. 
The  morale  of  the  affair  is  doubtful — cinchonia,  however  tasteless 
is  not  quinine,  nor  does  its  commercial  value  approach  that  of 
quinine  so  nearly  as  it  is  made  to  do  in  the  garb  of  "  sweet 
quinine."  When  physicians  want  cinchonia  they  can  get  it  by 
prescription,  and  it  is  not  in  accordance  with  our  ideas  of  fair 
dealing  to  serve  it  up  as  a  new  substance. 
