640 
Assay  of  Ipecac. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
(.      Nov.,  1885. 
obtained  from  the  same  ipecac,  by  DrageiidorfF^s  method,  2'64  per 
oent.  emetine,  by  the  same,  modified  as  I  have  described  in  detail  2*72 
per  cent.,  by  the  ammoniated  ether  process  2'42  per  cent.;  by  the 
same  using  a  mixture  of  ether  and  chloroform  2*3  and  in  a  second 
experiment  2*18  percent.;  ammonia  and  benzin  extracted  after  48 
hours  maceration  only  1-12  per  cent,  and  even  when  the  maceration 
was  carried  on  in  a  warm  place  the  yield  was  only  1'32  per  cent. 
Ammonia  and  boiling  benzin,  the  process  suggested  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  emetine,  extracted  1*8  per  cent,  to  2  per  cent. 
Experiments  made  with  chloroform  as  a  solvent  have  given  the  best 
results  yet  obtained.  One  plan,  which  is  both  simple  and  rapid,  is  the 
following : 
Place  in  a  flask  5  grams  of  finely  j^owdered  ipecac,  add  a  mixture  of 
strong  ammonia  1  gram,  alcohol  5  grams,  chloroform  30  grams.  Set 
in  a  warm  place  half  an  hour,  then  apply  sufficient  heat  to  keep  the 
mixture  boiling  for  one  hour  ;  then  add  50  cc.  petroleum  benzin,  boil 
half  an  hour,  add  ])enzin  enough  to  make  the  mixture  measure  nearly 
100  cc,  filter,  and  add  through  the  filter  enough  benzin  to  make  100 
cc.  Of  this  take  for  the  assay  25  cc,  and  treat  as  in  the  ammoniated 
ether  process. 
From  the  same  ipecac  as  that  used  in  the  former  experiments  I  ob- 
tained in  this  way  2*6  per  cent  alkaloid. 
Still  another  experiment  has  given  encouraging  results.  By  using 
the  menstruum  Avhich  Messrs.  Durstan  and  Short  have  found  the 
most  suitable  for  exhausting  nux  vomica,  I  found  that  ipecac  could 
be  easily  and  quickly  exhausted.  This  menstruum  consists  of  a  mix- 
ture of  three  volumes  of  chloroform  with  one  of  alcohol.  The  ipecac* 
5  grams,  can  be  placed  in  an  -  extraction  apparatus,  and  treated  by  hot 
repercolation  with  al)out  40  cc  of  the  mixture.  The  alkaloid  can  be 
removed  from  the  chloroform  by  washing  repeatedly  with  acid  water, 
and  the  acid  fluid  can  then  be  titrated,  or  the  alkaloid  can  be  removed 
from  it  by  rendering  it  alkaline  and  shaking  repeatedly  with  chloro- 
form, dried  and  weighed.  The  method  is  well  adapted  for  exact  assays, 
and  in  the  analytical  laboratory  will  doubtless  be  preferred  to  any  other. 
For  the  pharmaceutical  chemist  the  treatment  with  chloroform  and 
benzin  is  to  be  recommended,  being  very  simple,  rapid,  and  practical, 
provided  further  experience  shall  demonstrate  its  complete  trustworthi- 
ness. With  regard  to  both  of  these  last  described  processes,  although 
I  feel  confident  that  they  more  nearly  satisfy  the  requirements  of  the 
