AmiS&\w8&m'}    Abstracts  from  the  French  Journals.  135 
solution  is  rendered  alkaline  by  use  of  potassium  hydrate  (1:2)  and 
for  extraction  of  alkaloid  ether  is  used  in  place  of  chloroform  ;  before 
the  distillation  of  the  ether  2  cc.  water  should  be  added.  1  cc.  tm  nor- 
mal acid  is  the  equivalent  of  2*89  mg.  atropine  and  hyoscyarnine,  5*33 
mg.  aconitine  and  1*27  mg.  conine;  to  obtain  the  per  cent,  of  alkaloid 
directly  from  the  number  of  cc.  acid  used,  the  following  factors  are 
calculated  :  atropine  and  hyoscyarnine,  0*10404  ;  aconitine,  0*1919  ; 
conine,  0*04572. 
Control  experiments  with  atropine  recovered  98*62  and  99*71  per 
cent.— (Ned.  Tydschr.  Pharm.)  Apotk.  Ztg.,  1889,  124. 
Codeine  used  considerably  in  medicine  of  late  is  made  synthetically 
by  R.  Dott  by  passing  methyl  chloride  through  a  hydro-alcoholic  so- 
lution of  morphine  and  sodium  hydrate ;  the  alcohol  is  evaporated,  the 
residue  taken  up  in  water  and  the  codeine  extracted  with  chloroform. 
A.  Knoll  (Pharm.  Centralh.,  1889,  39)  introduces  the  methyl  group 
into  the  formula  of  morphine  by  reacting  upon  the  latter  body  with  a 
salt  of  methyl-sulphuric  acid.  The  product  is  dissolved  in  dilute  sul- 
phuric acid,  the  unchanged  morphine  precipitated  from  rather  dilute 
solution  by  ammonia  and  from  the  nitrate  the  codeine  is  extracted  by 
ether,  benzol  or  chloroform.  The  alkaloid  so  gotten  is  pure  and 
forms  colorless  rhombic  prisms,  melting  at  155°,  soluble  in  17  parts 
hot  and  85  parts  cold  water.  For  subcutaneous  uses  the  phosphate  is 
the  best  salt,  being  soluble  in  4  parts  water. 
ABSTRACTS  FROM  THE  FRENCH  JOURNALS. 
Translated  for  the  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy. 
Phenolate  of  Mercury. — On  account  of  the  variations  observed 
in  the  preparation  of  this  salt  now  in  the  market,  M.  Hugo  Andres 
proposes  the  following  method  "by  which  pharmacists  will  always  be 
able  to  obtain  a  definite  product."  First,  prepare  a  phenolate  of 
potassium  by  dissolving  in  alcohol  of  90  per  cent.,  94  parts  of  crystal- 
lized phenol  and  56  parts  of  hydrated  potash.  Evaporate  to  a  syrupy 
consistency  in  the  water-bath,  and  place  under  a  bell-glass  with 
sulphuric  acid  until  desiccation  is  effected.  Then  dissolve  100  parts 
of  phenate  of  potassium  in  alcohol,  filter,  and  precipitate  the  filtrate 
with  an  alcoholic  solution  of  112  parts  of  corrosive  sublimate.  The 
proportions  are  calculated  as  follows : 
C12  H5  KO2  -i-  Hg  CI  =  (C12  W  O2)  Hg  +  K  CI. 
