Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Feb.,  1884. 
Tincture  Deposits. 
105 
quinia  as  sulphate,  I  succeeded  in  getting  only  a  few  very  minute 
crystals,  quite  insufficient  to  weigh;  and  on  testing  for  quinia  by  the 
thalleioquin  test,  I  obtained  only  a  faint  reaction.  A  saturated  solu- 
tion of  the  sulphates,  when  mixed  with  half  its  volume  of  ether  and 
excess  of  ammonic  hydrate,  afforded  abundant  evidence  of  the  presence 
of  cinchonidine. 
Cinch  otannic  acid  was  proved  as  before. 
Warmed  with  potassic  hydrate  or  acetic  acid  it  imparted  a  deep 
brown-red  color  to  the  solution,  due  to  cinchona-red. 
From  these  three  examples  it  will  be  seen  that  the  deposit  contains 
a  very  varying  amount  of  alkaloids,  and  although  the  two  latter  were 
from  tinctures  prepared  strictly  according  to  the  B.P.  (the  first  I  am 
not  certain  of),  their  nature  both  physically  and  chemically  was  very 
different. 
Tindura  Ferri  Acetatis. — This  was  washed  with  water ;  the  first 
washings  were  found  to  contain  free  acetic  acid.  The  deposit  was  then 
dried  and  weighed  =  '1*833  of  a  gram,  dissolved  in  diluted  HO, 
diluted,  and  the  iron  preciptated  in  the  usual  manner  by  AmHO. 
The  precipitate,  after  washing  and  drying,  weighed  '1279  of  a  gram, 
that  is  to  say,  the  deposit  represents  69*77  per  cent,  of  oxide  of  iron, 
Fe203. 
Ferric  oxyacetate,  Fe607(C2H302)4  represents  70*175  per  cent,  of 
ferric  oxide. 
Tinctura  Gentiance  Composita. — This  deposit  was  of  a  grey  color, 
and  was  mixed  up  with  tow.  It  was  first  washed  with  proof  spirit 
until  the  washings  passed  colorless  or  nearly  so.  Examined  micro- 
scopically it  was  seen  to  consist  mostly  of  very  small  starch  granules, 
about  the  size  of  rice  starch,  but  oval  rather  than  angular.  Some  of 
the  deposit  was  then  gently  boiled  with  water,  cooled  and  solution  of 
iodine  added  ;  a  greenish- blue  color  appeared,  confirming  the  presence 
of  starch.  It  was  then  washed  with  cold  water,  and  the  washings 
filtered  and  evaporated  to  dryness  over  a  water-bath.  The  residue 
was  nearly  white  and  possessed  no  bitter  taste,  proving  absence  of 
gentiopicrin.  Portions  were  then  tested  as  follows  : — 1st.  A  small 
quantity  was  boiled  with  potash  solution,  a  yellow  color  was  produced. 
2d.  Another  portion  was  tested  with  Fehling's  solution,  which  it 
quickly  reduced.  3d.  To  a  drop  of  solution  of  borax  was  added  one 
drop  of  solution  of  phenol-phthalein,  and  then  a  few  drops  of  the 
aqueous  solution  of  residue.    The  pink  color  was  not  discharged.  The 
