Am.  Jour.  Pharm.,] 
Dec,  1885.  j 
Extraction  of  Alkaloids  from  Cinchona. 
629 
in  20  grammes  bark.  This  product  multiplied  by  5  gives  the 
percentage. 
Example. — Suppose  the  bark  for  analysis  to  contain  5  per  cent, 
alkaloid — which  would  be  a  reasonable  standard  for  pharmaceutical 
purposes — the  acid  solution  from  20  grammes  powder  should  be 
neutralized  by,  say,  37*5  cc.  soda  solution  : 
For  70—37-5  X  '031  X  5=5-04 
(the  number  of  grammes  of  alkaloid  in  100  grammes  bark). 
I  consider  this  indirect  deterniication  the  most  simple  for  those  who 
are  accustomed  to  work  volumetric  processes. 
In  concluding  this  paper  it  is  satisfactory  to  me  to  be  able  to  state 
that  another  chemist,  very  experienced  in  the  analysis  of  cinchona 
bark,  confirms  the  practicability  of  extracting  the  whole  of  the  alka- 
loids by  hydrochloric  acid  as  eflPectually  as  by  any  other  process.  Mr. 
A.  Kissel,  chemical  assistant  to  Dr.  G.  Kerner,  in  Zimmer's  quinine 
manufactory,  has  kindly  sent  me  the  following  results  of  analyses 
performed  by  him  on  the  same  bark  powder  by  the  several  processes 
indicated,  viz. : 
Lime  and  alcohol 
Pi'ocess. 
Lime  and  Oil 
Process. 
Hj^drochloric  Acid 
Process. 
1-805 
1-798 
1-802 
Q,uinidine  
0-358 
0-347 
0-351 
Cinchonidine  
0-338 
0-343 
0-335 
1-S73 
1-867 
1-874 
Total  
4-374 
4-355 
4-362 
I  therefore  consider  that  the  extraction  of  alkaloids  from  cinchona 
bark  by  hydrochloric  acid,  as  applied  to  the  manufacture  of  the 
•cinchona  febrifuge  in  Bengal,  provided  it  is  properly  performed,  is 
not  a  wasteful,  l)ut,  on  the  contrary,  an  economic  and  efficient  process. 
It  is,  moreover  (with  the  exception  of  an  unpublished  process,  the 
private  ])roperty  of  my  friend.  Dr.  G.  Kerner,  which  I  am  not  at 
liberty  to  make  known),  the  only  process  that  can  be  profitably 
applied  in  the  tropics  to  the  manufacture  of  the  total  cinchona 
alkaloids. 
