290 
A  nalysis  of  Iodine. 
f  Am.  Joub.Pharm. 
\     June  1, 1874. 
is  genuine  arnica.  That  the  adulteration  is  an  intentional  one  is  also 
evident  from  the  fact  that  the  leaves,  flowers  and  general  habit  of  the 
two  plants  are  totally  distinct ;  arnica  having  entire  leaves,  a  simple 
stem,  and  composite  flowers,  while  Greum  urbanum  has  lyrate  pinnate 
leaves,  a  branched  stem  and  simple  flowers. 
Belladonna  root. — A  sample  sent  to  me  for  examination  contained 
fifty  per  cent,  of  a  malvaceous  root,  which  I  believe  to  be  that  of 
Malva  sylvestris  ;  the  remainder  consisted  of  small  pieces  of  bella- 
donna root.  Externally,  the  two  are  very  much  alike,  especially 
when  the  belladonna  is  in  small  pieces ;  but  internally  the  appear- 
ance and  structure  will  be  seen  to  be  very  different,  belladonna 
having  a  very  large  meditullium  and  a  small  cortical  portion,  while 
in  the  mallow  the  two  are  nearly  equal.  The  fracture  of  belladonna 
also  is  short,  while  in  the  mallow  it  is  distinctly  fibrous. 
This  adulteration,  although  easily  detected,  is  of  considerable  im- 
portance, seeing  that  it  would  in  this  proportion  reduce  the  strength 
of  the  preparations  of  belladonna  by  one-half.  Both  the  arnica  and 
belladonna  were  imported  from  Germany. 
Whether  these  adulterations  are  to  be  taken  as  an  indication  that 
arnica  and  belladonna  are  becoming  scarce  in  Germany,  or  whether 
they  are  the  result  of  a  demand  for  cheap  drugs,  is  not  very  evident, 
but  their  occurrence  does  point  to  the  necessity  for  a  very  careful 
examination  by  the  pharmacist  of  all  crude  drugs  which  enter  into- 
stock,  and  to  the  importance  attaching  to  a  thorough  acquaintance 
with  the  appearance  and  structure  of  all  articles  of  materia  medica. 
They  show  also  that  adulterations  may  occasionally  occur  where  they 
would  be  least  suspected. — Phar.  Jour,  and  Trans.,  April  11,  1871. 
ANALYSIS  OF  IODINE. 
By  Gaston  Tissandier. 
Translated  from  the  Moniteur  des  Produites  Chimiques,  by  S.  A.  Goldschmidt, 
E.  M. 
The  method  of  analysis  producing  the  best  results  is  to  dissolve  the 
iodine  in  sulphurous  acid,  and  precipitate  it  as  iodide  of  silver  in  the 
presence  of  an  excess  of  ammonia  to  dissolve  any  chloride  which  may 
be  present.  The  principle  of  the  process  is  simple,  yet  certain  pre- 
cautions are  necessary  in  order  to  insure  the  success  of  the  analysis. 
1.  Weighing  the  Iodine. — As  iodine  volatilizes  with  great  readiness. 
