AFebr0uUaryP?8a97m'}  Pilocarpine  Hydrochloride.  109 
A  similar  want  of  homogeneity  might  be  expected  to  obtain  with 
the  hydrochloride  and  other  pilocarpine  salts. 
In  examining  some  samples  of  pilocarpine  hydrochloride  as  to 
the  melting  point,  we  have  found  that  this  salt  gives  indications  of 
being  a  mixture  of  more  than  one  chemical  compound.  Taking 
the  melting  point  in  a  Roth  apparatus,  we  found  that  two  different 
temperatures  might  be  read  as  the  melting  point,  one  at  which  the 
substance  in  the  capillary  tube  showed  signs  of  partial  liquefaction, 
and  a  higher  point,  at  which  the  contents  of  the  tube  became  en- 
tirely liquid.  The  results  obtained  with  two  samples  of  pilocarpine 
hydrochloride  are  given  in  the  following  table : 
Sample.  Began  to  Run.         Clear  Liquid. 
A   .    .  I9270  19670 
B  192-2°  1967° 
This  behavior  appears  to  point  to  the  probable  presence  of  two 
substances  in  both  of  the  samples,  judging  from  the  partial  melt- 
ing at  the  lower  temperature,  and  the  way  the  salt  becomes  a  clear 
liquid  at  a  point  about  40  higher. 
For  one  of  these  samples  of  pilocarpine  hydrochloride  we  are 
indebted  to  Messrs.  Domeier,  who  were  good  enough  to  procure  it 
specially  from  the  makers,  Messrs.  C.  F.  Boehringer  &  Sons.  At 
the  same  time  they  sent  an  account  of  the  result  of  some  pharma- 
cological examinations  they  have  had  made  in  consequence  of  the 
statement  as  to  abnormal  action  of  pilocarpine  salts.1  They  have 
found  that  a  salt  of  high  melting  does  not  differ  in  its  action  from  the 
one  of  low  melting  point  which  can  be  separated  by  purification — 
presumably  fractional  recrystallization.  In  regard  to  the  medicinal 
use  of  pilocarpine  salts,  this  result  would  appear  to  show  that  the 
possible  presence  of  two  substances  is,  from  that  point  of  view,  a 
matter  of  no  account ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  it  would  do  away 
with  the  value  of  the  melting-point  test  as  a  criterion  of  the  quali- 
ties of  pilocarpine  salts. 
In  reference  to  the  abnormal  action  of  pilocarpine  salts  analogous 
to  that  of  atropine,  Messrs.  Boehringer  suggest  that  it  may  prob- 
ably be  due  to  the  presence  of  jaborine ;  but  as  the  existence  of 
that  base  is  somewhat  questionable,  such  a  mode  of  explanation 
would  require  to  be  supported  by  more  definite  proof  than  is  at 
present  available. 
1  Ibid.,  p.  2. 
