258 SOPHISTICATIONS OF SULPHATE OF QUINIA, ETC. 
which principle it undoubtedly is, as supposed by the writer 
of the above letter. 
That salicin should be admixed with quinine is not new, 
but to be entirely substituted for it, as in this instance, is a 
matter of surprise, as its greater solubility will at once de- 
tect it. I have been informed that large quantities of salicin 
have been received from Europe, which, as its use is very 
limited, may probably be designed for the sophistication of 
quinine. 
Blue Mass. — A sample of blue pill mass was handed to 
me by Charles Ellis, with the statement that several hun- 
dred pounds of the same, as he was informed when on a 
recent visit to New York, had been imported from a house 
in England, and was now lying at the New York Custom 
House, ready to be imposed on the medical community. 
The sample presented the following characters. It had a 
greenish lead colour, coarse texture, without any odour of 
conserve of roses, and had a specific gravity of 1.777; 
enuine blue mass being about 2.051. 
Fifty grains of it mixed with a portion of iron filings was 
rolled into pellets, and introduced into a glass bulb attach- 
ed to a tube, which latter was bent and inserted through 
the cork of a bottle, and into a portion of alcohol, as recom- 
mended by M. M. Smith and Bridges, (see vol. 17 of this 
journal.) After the volatile products were collected in the 
vessel of alcohol, and the mercury well washed, it was found 
to weigh rather less than four grains, being about 7.75 per 
cent, or less than one-fonrth of the true proportion. 
Another portion of the mass was heated in the flame of 
a blow-pipe, until all the combustible matter was consum- 
ed, and was found to retain nearly its original shape. This 
residue had a brownish yellow colour, gritty feel when 
crushed under a spatula, and amounted to 24 per cent, of 
the blue mass burnt. It has been stated that blue slate in 
powder has been used in England, to adulterate this medi- 
cine, replacing the absent mercury by it. Now by adding 
