Atn'AJp°riir'  i^llrm'  }      Method  of  Cleaning  Digitalis. 
Table  I. 
Results  of  Screening  Process  in  Cleaning  Digitalis.    With  14  Mesh  Screen. 
No.  of 
Drug  Bin. 
Weight  in  Kg. 
Wt.  in  Kg.f  of 
C.  Screen. 
Per  Cent.*  Ash 
C.  Screen. 
Wt.  in  Kg.J  of 
F.  Screen. 
Per  Cent.  Ash 
F.  Screen 
9-237 
26.64 
X. 
I4-856 
12.246 
9.26 
2.610 
26.659 
9.183 
18.9 
2. 
16.554 
12.019 
9.24 
4-535 
22.33 
9.224 
38.OO 
3- 
12.026 
9.525 
9.62 
2.501 
30.00 
9.49 
24-85 
4- 
II-565 
9.071 
9.466 
2.494 
24.88 
9-755 
21.29 
5- 
8.389 
7.029 
9.62 
1.360 
20.94 
8-99 
31.92 
6. 
9-524 
7.210 
8.73 
1. 814 
29.15 
9-25 
24.63 
7- 
9.070 
7.256 
8.91 
1. 814 
27.27 
Total 
81.984 
Total 
64-356 
Average 
9.284 
Total 
•  17.138 
Average 
26.24 
*  Samples  were  run  through  a  No.  6  Sieve  in  order  to  obtain  uniform 
portions  for  ash  determinations  and  other  tests, 
f  Coarse  Screenings. 
X  Fine  Screenings. 
§  Lost  during  operation  .398  Kg. 
Table  II. 
Results  of  Gyrator  Sifting  Process  in  Cleaning  Digitalis. 
Total  Wt.  Kg. 
F.  Screenings 
(See  Table  I). 
Wt.  in  Kg. 
Coarse  Tail- 
ings. 
Per  Cent. 
Ash  Coarse 
Tailings. 
Wt.  in  Kg. 
Middlings, 
17  Mesh. 
Per  Cent. 
Ash 
Middlings. 
Wt.  in  Kg. 
Fine  Powder, 
50  Mesh. 
Per  Cent. 
Ash  Fine 
Powder. 
*i6.730 
5-970 
8.92 
8.91 
4-955 
IO.07 
IO.26 

5-805 
57-6 
56.02 
*398  Kg.  reserved  from  first  operation  for  sample. 
Our  knowledge  of  the  chemical  and  pharmacological  activity  of 
foreign  inorganic  substances  in  digitalis  is  limited.  It  has  been 
suggested  by  Wilbert1  that,  during  the  making  of  tincture  or  infu- 
sion, the  clay  may  adsorb  more  or  less  of  the  therapeutically  active 
constituents  of  the  drug  and  thus  render  it  less  valuable.  If  such 
foreign  matter  were  entirely  inert  a  given  quantity  of  such  drug 
would  be  materially  less  active  than  if  well  cleaned.  The  normal 
ash  of  digitalis  is  probably  between  8  and  10  per  cent.  Attention 
1  Wilbert,  Bulletin,  Univ.  of  Wis.,  Serial  829,  page  50. 
