Aloes  in  Pharmaceutical  Preparations. 
143 
acid  mixture  with  ammonia.  The  application  of  these  reactions  in  the 
manner  we  prescribe  constitutes,  we  think,  a  new  and  useful  test  for 
aloes.  This  test  can  be  applied  directly  to  the  substance  suspected,  if 
a  solid ;  but  liquids  should  first  be  evaporated  so  as  to  leave  a  thin 
film  of  extract  on  the  sides  of  the  dish,  to  which  the  test  is  then 
applied. 
The  following  is  the  method  adopted  :  Place  1  grain  of  the  substance 
in  a  glass  mortar  standing  on  white  paper;  add  now  16  drops  of 
strong  sulphuric  acid  and  triturate  till  the  whole  is  dissolved  ;  then  add 
4  drops  of  nitric  acid,  sp.  gr.  1*42,  and  lastly,  1  ounce  of  distilled 
water.  If  aloes  be  present  a  color  varying  from  deep  orange  to  crim- 
son will  be  produced,  according  to  the  kind  of  aloes  employed.  To 
confirm,  add  ammonia,  when  the  color  is  deepened,  usually  to  a  deep 
claret.  This  test  was  first  applied  to  the  same  series  of  specimens  as 
Borntrager's  and  Klunge's  tests  were  applied  to,  and,  Avithout  excep- 
tion, was  found  to  giv^e  good  residts  ;  in  fact,  not  only  was  the  presence 
of  aloes  detected,  but  a  fair  indication  of  the  kind  of  aloes  was  given, 
the  varieties  of  Barbadoes,  true  Socotrine  and  Natal  producing  a  crim- 
son, while  hepatic  and  Cape  only  a  deep  orange-red.  We  also  used  for 
comparison  the  test  with  sulphuric  acid  and  vapor  of  nitric  acid, 
which  produces  with  certain  aloes  a  play  of  colors  passing  through 
green,  blue  and  violet  to  crimson ;  our  results  are  shown  in  the  follow- 
ing table : 
Variety  of  Aloes, 
Borntrager's 
Test. 
H2S04and  va- 
por of  HNO3. 
Cripps  and 
Dyrnond's 
Test. 
Cripps  and 
Dyrnond's 
Test  with 
Ammonia. 
Barbadoes  
Natal  
Curagoa  
Hepatic  
Hepatic  (Indian). 
Oape  
Socotrine  (true)... 
Socotrine  (com- 
mercial), three 
samples.  
Socotrine  (Moclia 
or  Zanzibar).. 
Aloes  juice  (Na- 
tal)  
Pale  rose  color. 
Very  faint  pink. 
Fine  rose  color. 
Pale  rose  color. 
Pale  rose  color. 
Pale  brownish 
pink. 
Deep  red. 
Faint  red. 
Deep  red. 
Nil. 
Nil. 
Nil. 
Faint  red. 
Nil. 
Red. 
Faint  blue 
color. 
Faint  blue 
color. 
Crimson. 
Orange-red. 
Orange- red , 
Orange-red , 
Orange-red 
Crim.son. 
Crimson . 
Deep  claret. 
Intense 
brownish- 
led. 
Intense 
claret. 
Claret. 
Pale  claret. 
Pale  claret. 
Deep  claret . 
Claret. 
Deep  claret. 
Intense 
brownish- 
red. 
