ON THE PREPARATION OF PHOSPHORUS. 
167 
the whole in a flask, add two ounces of ether, agitate many times 
and suffer it to rest. The quinia liberated by the ammonia is dis- 
solved by the ether, whilst the cinchonia insoluble both in the 
ammoniacal liquid and the ether floats between the two liquids. 
This process appears to be the simplest of all that have been 
proposed ; but as M. Henry has shown (Jour, de Pharm., 1849,) 
that cinchonia is not entirely insoluble in ammonia, we prefer the 
following modification of M. Liebig's method : 
38 grains of sulphate of quinia are taken from an ounce bottle of 
the salt, its contents having been well mixed, and introduced into a 
flask with half an ounce of solution of ammonia, agitate them well, 
and allow the mixture to repose 24 hours. It is then heated in a 
water bath until the excess of ammonia has been driven off almost 
completely, allow it to cool and add one ounce of pure ether. By 
agitation the quinine is dissolved quickly and completely, and by 
rest the contents of the flask consists of two transparent liquids, the 
lower containing sulphate of ammonia, the upper quinia dissolved in 
ether without any intermediate stratum of cinchonia, if the salt is pure. 
To test the accuracy of the process, 30 grains of sulphate of 
quinia was mixed intimately with 1J grains of sulphate of cin- 
chonia and proceeded with as above. The ether dissolved the 
quinia readily as before, but the cinchonia remained as an insolu- 
ble layer, between, which was so voluminous that a fifth part of the 
quantity used might have been detected. — Jour, de Pharm. Jan. 
1852. 
[Note. This ready method of detecting cinchonia is of value, as it has, 
(we are informed) become quite usual with the manufacturers to crystallize 
all the sulphate of cinchonia they can with the quinine. Heretofore testimony 
has been unfavorable to the claims of cinchonia to much therapeutic value, 
and until it shall be otherwise determined cinchonia should be looked upon 
as an adulteration. We are informed that careful experiments are now in 
progress in this city at one of our public institutions, by a physician emi- 
nently qualified to conduct them, to c'etermine the real merits of this alka- 
loid in a medical point of view.— Ed. Amer. Jour. Pharm.] 
OBSERVATIONS ON THE PREPARATION OF PHOSPHORUS. 
Br M. Donovan. 
The process ordinarily followed for the preparation of phosphorus 
comprehends various operations, which render the execution long 
and difficult. For instance, the calcination of the bone to destroy 
