220  Classification  of  Odoriferous  Principles.  {AmMl"?Sarm' 
The  writer  would  recommend  substitution  of  quinine  hydrochlo- 
rate  for  the  sulphate,  as  solution  takes  place  more  readily  in  the 
acid  mixture  and  continuation  of  heat  may  be  dispensed  with. 
In  comparing  the  present  formula  with  the  one  of  the  1880  Phar- 
macopoeia, no  preference  can  be  given  to  either.  Excepting  the 
point  mentioned  regarding  filtration  of  the  alkaloidal  solution,  the 
present  process  requires  less  time. 
Being  acquainted  with  its  cause,  the  only  logical  course  to  pre- 
vent discoloration  appears  to  be  to  decrease  the  amount  of  phos- 
phoric acid. 
Calculated  to  weight,  the  amount  of  official  85  per  cent,  phos- 
phoric acid  is  8-2  grammes  in  100  c.c,  or,  expressed  in  apothecary 
weight,  5  grains  to  I  fluiddrachm.  The  attempt  to  reduce  the 
amount  of  acid  with  the  view  of  preparing  a  permanent  syrup  will 
meet  with  failure.  If  one-half  of  the  amount,  24  c.c.  in  1,000  c.c, 
or  approximate  quantities  are  employed,  precipitation  of  the  alka- 
loidal salts  takes  place,  resulting  in  a  cloudy  preparation. 
This  will  be  the  case  no  matter  how  the  formula  is  manipulated, 
either  in  the  case  of  simple  admixture  or  dissolving  the  sugar  in  a 
diluted  iron  alkaloidal  solution,  or  if  quinine  hydrochlorate  is  sub- 
stituted for  the  sulphate. 
It  may  be  gleaned  from  the  above  results  that  the  difficulties  with 
this  preparation  are  manifold,  and  under  existing  conditions  it  is 
impossible  to  suggest  a  remedy.  It  is,  however,  an  open  question 
if  to  American  pharmacists  a  reliable  formula  for  a  compound  syrup 
of  the  hypophosphites,  containing  iron,  quinine  and  strychnine,  which 
would  enjoy  the  confidence  of  physicians,  would  not  be  a  desirable 
substitute  for  this  comparatively  obsolete  preparation. 
A  CHEMICAL  CLASSIFICATION  OF  ODORIFEROUS 
PRINCIPLES. 
By  Samuel  P.  Sadtxer.1 
One  of  the  most  satisfactory  and  complete  attempts  at  the  classi- 
fication not  only  of   the  numerous  constituents  of  the  natural 
essential  oils,  but  of  the  various  chemical  substances  that  enter  into 
the  composition  of   perfumes,  natural   and    artificial,  has  been 
recently  put  forward  by  Dr.  Erdmann,  in  a  lecture  before  a  section 
of  the  Association  of  German  Chemists. 
3  A.  translation  with  notes  from  the  German  of  Ernst  Erdmann  {Zeits.fiir 
angewandten  Chemie,  1900,  pp.  1 03-1 16). 
