"^'"NoriSr™*}         Appointment  of  Examiner  of  Drugs.  t>85 
with  dilute  hydrochloric  acid  until  as  much  as  possible  is  dissolved. 
The  mixture  is  filtered,  preferably  through  glass  or  cotton  wool,  and 
the  residue  washed  with  hot  dilute  hydrochloric  acid  until  nothing 
further  is  dissolved.  The  acid  liquid  is  then  repeatedly  agitated  with 
chloroform  so  long  as  anything  is  removed  by  this  solvent.  The  acid 
liquid  is  made  alkaline  with  ammonia  and  extracted  with  chloroform, 
which  when  evaporated  and  dried  at  100°C.,  leaves  a  residue  of  pure 
alkaloid.  This  was  proved  by  the  method  of  precipitating  with  iodine, 
which  we  have  previously  described.  The  following  are  some  of  the 
results  that  were  obtained  : 
Residue  taken.  Pure  alkaloid  found. 
0-029  gram   0-028  gram. 
0-018     "    0017  " 
0-011     "    0-010  " 
0-006     "    0-005  " 
The  foregoing  process,  then,  is  a  simple  and  satisfactory  one  for  esti- 
mating the  atropine  and  hyoscyamine  in  the  green  alcoholic  extract  of 
belladonna.  It  now  remains  to  be  shown  with  the  aid  of  this  23rocess 
how  far  the  extract  as  met  with  in  commerce  possesses  a  uniform  alka- 
loidal  strength.  The  analysis  of  a  carefully  prepared  specimen 
showed  the  presence  of  1*8  per  cent,  of  atropine  and  hyoscyamine. — 
Fhar.  Jour,  and  Trans.,  Sept.  12,  1885,  p.  238. 
THE  APPOINTMENT  OF  AN  EXAMINER  OF  DRUGS 
FOR  THE  PORT  OF  PHILADELPHIA. 
The  law  of  the  United  States  requires  that  there  shall  be  appointed  a 
'"special  examiner"  of  drugs  and  medicinal  chemicals  at  the  port  of  Phil- 
adelphia. At  New  York  this  duty  is  i^erformed  under  the  law  hy  an  assist- 
ant appraiser. 
The  office  of  examiner  being  vacant  in  Philadelphia,  by  reason  of  the 
resignation  of  Dr.  Lamb,  the  former  incumbent,  the  appraiser  of  the  port, 
Mr.  J.  B.  Baker,  requested  the  following  gentlemen  to  examine  and  report 
upon  the  qualifications  of  the  applicants  for  the  position,  viz.,  Charles  Bul- 
lock, Robert  England,  A.  W.  Miller,  M.D.,  and  J.  R.  Angney,  M.D. 
As  this  appears  to  be  the  first  time  when  applicants  for  this  important 
position  have  not  been  chosen  arbitrarily,  a  brief  record  of  the  course  pur- 
sued may  be  of  interest,  and  also  furnish  assistance  for  future  occasions  of 
a  like  character.  Two  of  the  above  mentioned  are  retail  pharmacists,  and 
two  are  importers  of  drugs  and  chemicals. 
The  following  general  features  were  adopted  : 
1.  The  applicants  to  be  known  to  the  examiners  by  a  number,  and  not 
iby  name  ;  all  to  be  examined  simultaneously. 
