134 
Solubility  of  Alkaloids. 
/Am.  Jour.  Pharm 
t      March,  1902. 
As  such  a  sphere  is  not  readily  adapted  to  be  used  as  a  dropping 
pipette,  the  writer  has  devised  a  simple  spherical  outlet  to  an  ordi- 
nary pipette,  and  with  a  dropper  constructed  on  this  principle  it  is 
possible  to  drop,  either  from  the  sides,  bottom  or  edge  of  the  tube, 
drops  that  will  weigh,  within  a  minute  fraction,  one  decigramme. 
So  constant  are  these  drops  as  to  weight  and  size  that  10  will  weigh 
one  gramme,  and  100  will  weigh  10  grammes  or  measure  io  c.c., 
with  a  possible  variation  of  less  than  5  per  cent. 
From  a  series  of  experiments  that  have  been  made,  it  may  be  said 
that  this  ratio  is  iairly  constant,  for  all  aqueous  liquids  or  solutions, 
as  to  weight  but  not  measure.  The  relative  number  of  drops  of 
alcohol  may  be  said  to  be  three  to  one  of  water,  and  of  dilute  alcohol 
about  two  and  a  half  to  one  of  water.  This  latter  proportion  is 
perhaps  a  little  high,  and  for  all  practical  purposes  the  following 
ratio  may  be  taken  as  representing  a  fair«average  :  Water,  1  ;  diluted 
alcohol,  2 ;  alcohol,  3. 
In  conclusion,  the  writer  would  suggest  that  a  perfectly  made 
decigramme  pipette  may  simplify  the  relative  size  and  weights  of 
drops,  and  would  also  offer  an  additional  argument  for  the  introduc- 
tion and  use  of  the  metric  system  of  weights  and  measures. 
A  METHOD  OF  DETERMINING  THE  SOLUBILITY 
OF  ALKALOIDS. 
By  Robert  A.  Hatcher,  M.D. 
In  attempting  to  dissolve  cinchonine  in  water  much  difficulty  was 
experienced,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  powder  floated  upon  the  sur- 
face of  the  liquid  or  clung  to  the  sides  of  the  vessel. 
The  alkaloid  was  then  dissolved  in  alcohol  and  added  to  water, 
the  alcohol  being  expelled  by  heat  ;  but  this  method  proved  no 
more  satisfactory  than  the  first  mentioned. 
The  cinchonine  was  next  rubbed  with  water  until  a  smooth  mix- 
ture was  made ;  to  this  was  added  from  a  burette  the  requisite 
N 
amount  of —  H2S04  to  convert  it  into  the  sulphate,  and  solution 
10 
easily  effected.    Portions  of  this  were  diluted  in  various  propor- 
N 
tions,  and  to  each  a  slight  excess  (about  2  c.c.)  of  —  NaOH  added ; 
from  the  relative  amounts  precipitated  in  the  various  dilutions  an 
