226  Analytical  Researches  and  Investigations.  {^'"May'iS?'™" 
estimation  of  ergot  in  lye  flour  and  bread  :  15  grams  of  the  flour,  or 
well  dried  bread  are  digested  with  30  cubic  centimeters  of  ether,  to 
which  15  drops  of  dilute  sulphuric  acid  (1:5)  have  been  added.  The 
etherial  solution  is  filtered,  the  flour  washed  upon  the  filter  with 
ether,  until  30  cubic  centimeters  of  filtrate  are  obtained,  and  to  the 
latter  20  cubic  centimeters  of  a  cold  saturated  solution  of  sodium 
bicarbonate  are  then  added,  whereby  the  reddish-violet  coloring 
matter  of  the  ergot  passes  into  the  aqueous  solution,  which  may  be 
removed  by  means  of  a  separatory  funnel.  For  the  comparative 
colorimetric  estimation  two  artificial  mixtures  of  flour  and  ergot  are 
prepared,  one  of  5  per  cent,  and  the  other  of  1  per  cent.,  which  are 
then  subjected  to  the  same  treatment. — Pharm.  Ztschr.  fi'ir  RussL,  No. 
20.,  p.  933. 
Crystallized  Hyoscy amine. — Duquesnel  has  succeeded  in  obtaining 
this  alkaloid  in  a  crystalline  form.  The  pure  sulphate  was  digested 
for  a  long  time  in  the  cold  with  calcium  carbonate,  the  mixture 
triturated  with  sand,  and  dried  over  sulphuric  acid.  After  having 
been  powdered,  the  alkaloid  was  then  extracted,  by  means  of  dry 
chloroform,  when  it  crystallized  upon  evaporation  at  a  very  slightly 
elevated  temperature  in  beautiful  stellately  grouped  prisms.  Whether 
liyoscyamine  is  identical  wdth  the  other  mydriatic  alkaloids  remains  at 
present  undecided. — Chem.  Zeitiing,^o.  7.,  1882,  p.  124;  from  Journ. 
Pharm.  Chim.,  Febr.,  p.  131. 
On  the  Decomposition  of  Pilocarpine. — According  to  Chastaing, 
this  alkaloid  is  decomposed  by  heating  with  caustic  potassa  into  car- 
bonic acid,  butyric  acid,  methylamine,  and  traces  of  acetic  acid,  accord- 
ing to  the  equation  : 
CnH.gNA  +  SHp  =  CO,  +  2C,HA  +  2CH,N  +  O. 
Occasionally,  and  especially  when  the  pilocarpine  has  been  pre- 
viously treated  with  fuming  nitric  acid,  bases  of  the  pyridine  series 
are  also  formed. — Ibid.,  No.  10.,  1882,  p.  184  ;  from  Compt.  rend., 
94,  p.  223. 
Examination  of  Chocolate.  By  E.  Herbst. — For  the  estimation  of 
the  sugar  the  chocolate,  which  has  been  previously  deprived  of  fat, 
is  extracted  with  boiling  50  per  cent,  alcohol  as  long  as  a  brown-red 
color  is  imparted  to  the  latter.  The  solution  is  evaporated  to  dryness, 
the  residue  taken  up  with  water,  the  ensuing  solution  evaporated,  and 
the  residue  dried  at  a  100°C.,  in  a  current  of  illuminating  gas,  and 
calculated  as  sugar.    The  mass  deprived  of  fat  and  sugar  is  then  dried 
