562 
Ergotin. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharin, 
X      Nov.,  1881. 
cijiitate  washed  several  times  successively  with  two  parts  of  the  same 
diluted  alcohol.  The  united  solutions  were  filtered,  the  amount  of  dry 
substance  ascertained  by  evaporating  a  few  cubic  centimeters,  and  the 
whole  was  then  distilled  and  evaporated  to  such  consistence  that  a 
firm  extract  remained,  retaining  ten  per  cent,  of  moisture.  In  this 
manner  the  yield  of  the  fraction  employed  of  set  A,  calculated  for  the 
entire  quantity,  corresponded  to  2,187  grains;  of  set  B  to  235  grains;, 
of  set  C  to  78  grains;  making  a  total  of  2,500  j^rains,  or  11*57  per 
cent,  of  the  ergot  used.  The  ergotin  obtained  from  set  A  was  dark 
brown,  uniform,  of  the  consistence  of  a  firm  extract,  translucent,  readily 
and  rapidly  soluble  in  water,  forming  a  clear  solution,  and  had  an  odor 
resembling  fresh-baked  rye  bread.  The  ergotin  obtained  from  set  B 
resembled  that  of  set  A,  but  was  less  homogeneous,  somewhat  granu- 
lar. The  ergotin  obtained  from  set  C  was  somewhat  less  homoge- 
neous than  that  from  set  B,  but  otherwise  resembled  that  of  set  A. 
The  precipitate  in  each  case  had  and  retained  during  the  entire  opera- 
tion the  consistence  of  thick  treacle.  In  the  case  of  sets  A  and  B  it 
had  apparently  the  same  brown  color.  In  that  of  set  C,  however,  it 
was  dark  brown  and  granular,  and  on  the  sides  of  the  flask  numerous 
crystals  were  deposited,  showing  that  the  saline  constituents  of  the 
ergot  were  more  copiously  dissolved  in  this  portion  than  in  the  perco- 
lates previously  obtained. 
Carles^  Method. — To  a  suitable  fraction  of  the  aqueous  extract  of 
ergot  from  set  A  alcohol  of  specific  gravity  0'820  Avas  added  so  as  to 
produce  with  the  water  contained  in  the  extract  an  alcoliol  containing 
77'27  weight  per  cent,  of  absolute  alcohol.  The  liquid  was  then 
brought  to  the  weight  of  five  times  the  weight  of  the  extract  with 
alcohol  of  77*27  per  cent,  and  the  precipitate,  which  had  been  allowed 
to  subside  after  frequent  shaking  for  some  hours,  was  washed  several 
times  successively  with  alcohol  of  the  same  strength.  The  united 
liquids  were  filtered,  the  amount  of  dry  extract  contained  therein 
determined,  and  it  was  then  distilled  and  evaporated  to  the  consistence 
of  an  extract  retaining  ten  per  cent,  moisture.  The  quantity  so 
obtained,  when  calculated  for  the  whole  quantity  of  set  A,  corres- 
ponded to  2,080  grains.  Comparing  this  yield  Avith  that  obtained 
from  the  same  set  by  Bonjean's  (?)  method,  set  B  would  have  yielded 
223*5  grains;  set  C,  74  grains;  making  a  total  of  2,377*5.  or  11*05 
per  cent.  The  ergotin  obtained  by  this  method  had  the  same  consist- 
ence and  characters  as  that  obtained  from  set  A  by  Bonjean's  (?) 
