72  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  { AmFeb!fiSarm' 
capacity  and  moistened  with  5  grams  dilute  hydrochloric  acid  (spec, 
grav.  1-060)  and  30  grams  strong  alcohol;  after  standing  for  2  or  3 
hours,  15  grams  water  of  ammonia  (10  per  cent.)  and  170  grams 
ether  are  added,  and  repeatedly  agitated  during  5-6  hours;  100 
grams  of  the  liquid  are  decanted  into  a  separating  funnel  of  30a 
cc.  capacity,  containing  50  grams  water  and  2  grams  dilute  sulphuric 
acid,  sp.  gr.  1-117  (or  sufficient  to  impart  an  acid  reaction  after  agita- 
tion with  the  ethereal  solution),  agitated  repeatedly  and  then  allowed 
to  stand  for  at  least  one  hour,  when  the  aqueous  layer  is  transferred 
to  a  beaker,  warmed  on  a  water-bath  to  400  C.  and  returned  to  the 
separating  funnel,  which  has  been  cleaned  in  the  meantime.  Am- 
monia water  is  carefully  added  until  a  distinct  alkaline  reaction 
results,  and  the  alkaloids  dissolved  in  a  mixture  of  30  grams  chloro- 
form and  10  grams  ether  by  carefully  rotating  the  funnel;  after 
separating,  the  chloroform  layer  is  removed  to  a  tared  flask,  allow- 
ing it  to  filter  through  a  small,  plain  filter  ;  the  extraction  of  the 
alkaloids  is  completed  by  using  a  second  portion  of  solvent,  1 5  grams 
chloroform  and  5  grams  ether,  allowing  it  to  pass  through  the  filter 
and  washing  the  latter  with  chloroform.  The  solvent  is  then  evap- 
orated upon  a  water-bath  and  the  residue  weighed  ;  multiplying  by 
10  gives  the  percentage  of  total  alkaloids. — [Schwz.  Wochenschr, 
f.  Chem.  and  Pharm.)  Pharm.  Ztg.,  1892,  750. 
Preparation  of  pure  chloroform. — A  peculiar  method  is  proposed 
by  R.  Anschiitz,  depending  upon  the  separation  of  salicylid-chloro- 
CO 
form  from  impure  chloroform.     Salicylid  C6H4<  q  >  and  also 
0-homosalicylid    CH3C6H3   <*q^>   remaining    in  contact  with 
chloroform  for  24  hours,  form  crystallizable  almost  insoluble  com- 
pounds with  chloroform,  the  latter  being  only  loosely  combined, 
(comparable  with  the  water  of  crystallization)  and  volatilized  by  very 
moderate  heating.  The  compounds  contain  33-24  per  cent,  and 
30-8  per  cent,  chloroform,  respectively,  and  can  be  kept  for  long; 
periods  in  closed  vessels.  By  heat  the  chloroform  can  be  distilled 
shortly  before  it  is  to  be  used,  enabling  a  guarantee  for  perfect 
purity.  The  salicylid  and  0-homosalicylid  can  be  used  over  and 
over  in  this  process.  None  of  the  impurities  of  chloroform  have 
been  found  to  form  crystallizable  compounds  with  salicylid  or 
tf-homosalicylid. — 'yBcrichte)  Pharm.  CentraUialle \  1892,  753. 
