Am.  Jour.  Pharm."! 
January,  1896.  J 
Spermaceti. 
7 
was  then  transferred  to  an  Erlenmeyer  flask  and  exhausted  with  chlo- 
roform and  treated  just  as  in  case  of  Method  I.  The  caffeine  ob- 
tained by  Method  II  was  of  a  pure  white  color,  and  was  hence  purer 
than  that  obtained  by  Method  I.  Besides  this  advantage  of  Method  II 
over  Method  I,  may  be  mentioned  the  fact  that  Method  II  was  much 
more  expeditious  and  satisfactory,  and  extracted  more  caffeine  than 
Method  I. 
Below  are  appended  the  results : 
African  Nuts.  Jamaica  Nuts. 
Method  I. — Caffeine   2*04  per  cent.  175  per  cent. 
Method  II.— Caffeine*   2-24      "  1-93  " 
These  figures  would  indicate  that  the  African  kola  nuts  are  richer 
in  caffeine  than  the  West  India  nuts,  which  was  not  to  be  expected, 
considering  that  the  latter  are  the  more  expensive  ;  furthermore, 
they  show  that  the  method  which  uses  33^  per  cent,  alcohol  ex- 
tracts the  caffeine  more  completely  than  does  the  method  which 
uses  pure  chloroform.  The  extract  obtained  from  the  Jamaica  nuts 
was  lighter  in  color  than  that  from  the  African  nuts,  and  resembled 
a  tea  infusion,  whereas  the  extract  from  the  latter  resembled  an 
infusion  of  coffee  in  color. 
Baltimore,  November  25,  1895. 
SPERMACETI. 
By  Lyman  F.  Kebi,er. 
Cetaceum  forms  lustrous,  white,  semi-translucent  masses,  with  a 
broad,  foliaceous,  crystalline  structure ;  somewhat  unctuous  to  the 
touch,  and,  when  fresh,  has  a  neutral  reaction.  It  is  soluble  in 
chloroform,  ether,  carbon  disulphide,  boiling  alcohol,  and  fixed  and 
volatile  oils.  The  United  States  Pharmacopoeia  requires  it  to  pos- 
sess a  specific  gravity  "  about  0  943,  and  a  fusing  point  near  500 
C." 
About  two  years  ago,  the  writer  had  occasion  to  examine  several 
samples  of  spermaceti,  and  was  much  surprised  to  find  that  his  data 
of  specific  gravities  and  melting  points  did  not  correspond  with  the 
above  authority,  while  in  all  other  points  there  was  perfect  accord. 
On  consulting  the  various  dictionaries  and  other  works  of  reference 
on  chemistry,  it  was  found  that  they  generally  sustained  the  official 
guide.    After  carefully  examining  the  samples  for  adulterants,  with 
