30 
GLEANINGS  FROM  FOREIGN  JOURNALS. 
treated  a  sublimate  is  obtained,  consisting  of  clear,  colorless 
drops,  which  form  crystals  with  the  acids.  Digitalin  likewise 
yields  such  a  product,  the  nature  of  which  could  not  be  ascer- 
tained as  satisfactorily,  though  it  appeared  to  form  crystals 
with  some  of  the  acids. 
Comparative  value  of  Narcotic  Extracts  and  Alkaloids. — We 
extract  some  portions  from  a  paper  read  early  in  1863,  by 
Alois  Jandous,  before  the  General  Society  of  Austrian  Apothe- 
caries. The  author  refers  to  the  varying  statements  made  by 
different  writers,  and  often  by  one  and  the  same,  in  regard  to  the 
quantities  of  alkaloids  contained  in  the  extracts  of  which  they 
are  assumed  to  be  the  active  ingredients :  Thus,  while  Rabour- 
din  quotes  an  extract  belladonnae  with  »53,  and  another  with 
•05  per  cent,  of  atropia,  Mein  gives  the  yield  of  pure  atropia 
from  the  leaves  as  -02,  and  Procter  that  of  the  root  as  -33.* 
This  statement  of  Rabourdin  probably  refers  to  crystalliza- 
ble  atropia,  since  it  must  be  assumed  that  extract  of  good  qual- 
ity was  employed,  which,  as  regards  activity,  ought  to  surpass 
the  leaves  or  root.  The  only  cause  necessary  to  adduce  for 
such  discrepance  is  the  facility  with  which  this  and  other  al- 
kaloids of  the  Solanacese,  and  other  organic  compounds,  are  de- 
composed in  contact  with  moisture,  air  and  heat ;  for  atropia, 
when  left  standing  but  a  short  time  under,  or  dissolved  in  water, 
ceases  to  be  crystallizable.  From  0-1  gramme  of  crystallized  atro- 
pia which  had  been  precipitated  by  tannin,  after  decomposition  of 
the  precipitate  with  oxyd  of  lead  and  extraction  with  alcohol, 
but  «056  grm.  were  recovered,  and  that  in  the  amorphous 
condition.  An  extract  of  belladonna,  which  had  been  prepared 
a  year  before  from  the  coagulated  juice,  yielding      per  cent., 
*[Brandes  gives  1*51  per  cent,  of  malate  of  atropia  in  the  leaves.  As 
by  the  Prussian  method  of  preparing  the  extract  of  belladonna  from 
fresh  leaves,  viz  :  treatment  of  the  inspissated  juice  with  strong  alcohol, 
the  yield  is  from  3£  to  4  per  cent,  of  extract,  this  latter,  adopting  the  low- 
est statement,  that  of  Mein,  should  contain  at  least  6  per  cent,  of  atropia. 
Mayer,  of  Heilbronn,  obtained  1\  per  cent,  of  pure  alkaloid  from  extract, 
or  J  per  cent,  from  the  dried  root.  Geiger  estimates  200  grains  of  ex- 
tract equal  to  one  grain ;  SchrofF  the  same  quantity,  equal  to  7  grains. 
The  best  American  alcoholic  extract  (U.  S.  P.j  1860)  yielded  from  2  to  3 
per  cent,  of  impure  atropia,  of  which  not  one-third  was  crystallizable.] 
