Am.  Jour.  Pharm. ) 
April,  1884.  J 
Standard  Tincture  of  Nux  Vomica. 
205 
total  alkaloid,  thus  coinciding  with  the  calculated  result.  The  stand- 
ard tinctures  prepared  by  the  two  processes  which  have  been  described 
contain,  of  course,  the  same  percentage  of  total  alkaloid.  They  differ 
in  color,  that  prepared  by  the  first  process  being  pale  yellow,  by  the 
second,  light  brown ;  the  latter  also  deposits  very  slightly,  while  the 
former  is  perfectly  stable.  For  reasons  already  stated,  we  incline  to 
recommending  the  latter  process  for  general  use;  the  former  would 
probably  be  preferred  by  the  manufacturer  upon  the  large  scale.  The 
following  is  a  description  of  both  the  processes  which  we  have  devised 
for  the  preparation  of  a  standard  tincture  of  nux  vomica  containing 
0*24  per  cent,  of  total  alkaloid : 
I.  Take  of— 
Nux  vomica,  in  fine  powder   1  pound. 
Rectified  spirit   64  fiuidounces. 
Distilled  water   16  fluidounces. 
Mix  the  spirit  with  the  water  and  make  the  nux  vomica  into  a  paste 
with  one  pint  of  the  mixture.  Allow  this  to  macerate  for  twelve 
hours,  then  transfer  to  a  percolator  and  add  another  pint  of  the  mix- 
ture. When  this  has  percolated,  pour  on  the  remainder  of  the  diluted 
spirit  in  successive  portions ;  press  the  marc,  filter  the  expressed  liquid 
and  add  it  to  the  percolate.  Take  of  this  liquid  1  fluid  ounce  and 
estimate  the  amount  of  total  alkaloid  in  the  following  way  :  Evaporate 
almost  to  dryness  over  a  water-bath,  dissolve  the  residue  in  2  fluid 
drachms  of  chloroform  and  half  a  fluidounce  of  dilute  sulphuric  acid 
with  an  equal  bulk  of  water ;  agitate  and  warm  gently.  When  the 
liquids  have  separated  draw  off  the  chloroform  and  add  to  the  acid 
liquid  excess  of  solution  of  ammonia  and  half  a  fluidounce  of  chloro- 
form ;  well  agitate,  gently  warm  and  after  the  liquids  have  completely 
separated  transfer  the  chloroform  to  a  weighed  dish.  Evaporate  over 
a  water-bath,  and  dry  for  one  hour  at  212°  F.  Allow  the  residue  of 
total  alkaloid  to  cool  and  then  weigh. 
Take  that  quantity  of  the  percolate  which  contains  20  grains  of 
alkaloid  and  dilute  to  one  pint  (imperial)  with  a  mixture  of  4  parts  by 
volume  of  rectified  spirit  with  1  part  by  volume  of  distilled  water.  This 
tincture  will  contain  0'24  per  cent,  by  volume  of  total  alkaloid  and  2 
fluidounces  of  it  when  estimated,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  perco- 
late, should  yield  2  grains  of  total  alkaloid. 
II.  Take  of— 
Standard  extract  of  nux  vomica   133  grains. 
Rectified  spirit   l<>  fluidounces. 
Distilled  water   4  (luidounces. 
