186 
Estimation  of  Alkaloids  in  Extracts. 
/Am.  Jour,  Pharm. 
I      April  1887. 
a)  Examination  of  extracts  of  belladonna,  aconite,  conium  and  hyoscy- 
amus. Triturate  0'2  grams  of  powdered  lime,  prepared  from  marble, 
with  3  gm.  of  water,  add  2  gm.  of  extract,  when  dissolved  carefully 
add  J  0  gm.  powdered  lime.  The  mixture  is  then  placed  in  a  closed 
continuous  displacement  apparatus,  the  receiving  bottle  containing 
about  30  gm.  of  ether  is  suspended  over  a  water-bath  (not  too  hot)  and 
the  process  of  extraction  is  regulated  by  bringing  the  ether  bottle 
nearer  or  further  from  the  water- bath.  With  extracts  of  belladonna, 
aconite  and  hyoscyamus  extraction  is  carried  on  for  30  or  45  minutes 
at  the  highest.  Conium  extract  requires  at  least  2  hours.  It  is  ad- 
visable to  exhaust  a  second  time  with  ether.  The  ethereal  solution  of 
the  alkaloids  is  transferred  to  a  tared  porcelain  capsule,  and  the  re- 
ceiving bottle  rinsed  2  or  3  times  with  small  portions  of  ether  •  1  cc. 
of  distilled  water  is  added,  and  the  ether  carefully  evaporated  over  a 
water-bath  at  a  temperature  not  exceeding  30°  C,  care  being  taken 
not  to  work  near  hydrochloric,  nitric,  acetic  or  other  volatile  acid.  The 
residue  weighing  1*5  grams,  is  dissolved  in  0*5  cc.  of  alcohol,  spec, 
grav.  892,  the  solution  diluted  with  10  cc.  distilled  water  and  after 
adding  1  or  2  drops  of  rosolic  acid  solution  (1  :  100  alcohol)  titrated 
with  100th  normal  sulphuric  acid,  each  cubic  centimeter  of  which 
neutralizes  0*00289  gm.  atropine  or  hyoscyamine,  0*00523  gm.  aconi- 
tine,  and  0*00127  conine. 
The  following  results  were  obtained : 
Extract  of  belladonna,  (13  experiments)  1-170,  1*184,  1*163,  1*170, 
1*156,  1*142,  1*156,  1*142,  1*156,  1*170,  1*184,  1*170,  1*170  per 
cent. 
Extract  of  aconite  root  (6  experiments)  1*305,  1*252,  1*279,  1*252, 
1*279,  1*279  per  cent. 
Extract  of  hyoscyamus  (6  experiments)  *780,  *766,  *766,  *751  *751, 
*766  per  cent. 
Extract  of  conium  (6  experiments)  *609,  *597,  *622,  *622,  *597,  *589 
per  cent. 
/?)  Examination  of  extract  of  nux  vomica.  0*2  gm.  powdered  lime  and 
1  gm.  extract  of  nux  vomica  are  intimately  mixed,  3  cc.  of  distilled 
water  added  and  evenly  mixed  with  10  gm.  powdered  lime,  then  ex- 
hausted in  the  same  manner  as  before  for  1J  or  If  hours.  The  re- 
ceiving bottle  is  rinsed  with  alcohol  twice  and  then  with  ether,  and 
after  adding  1  cc.  of  distilled  water  the  percolate  is  evaporated  in  a 
tared  porcelain  capsule  (at  the  same  temperature  and  with  the  same 
