130  Analysis  of  Commercial  Veratrinc.  {AmMirch.i899.rm' 
As  a  substitute  for  the  chromate  titration,  residual  titration  of 
N 
_  silver  nitrate  V.  S.  with  decinormal  potassium  sulpho-cyanate 
V.  S.  in  the  presence  of  nitric  acid  and  ferric  ammonium  sulphate 
T.  S.'may  be  employed. 
The  advantages  of  this  process  are  the  following  : 
(1)  Smaller  amounts  of  the  syrup  and  decinormal  silver  nitrate 
V.  S.  are  required  for  the  operation. 
(2)  The  liability  of  error,  as  incurred  in  the  neutralization  with 
ammonia  water,  is  diminished. 
(3)  The  presence  of  potassium  bitartrate  does  not  interfere  with 
an  accurate  estimation. 
(4)  The  process  is  manipulated  more  rapidly. 
Comparison  with  the  chromate  titration  show  the  results  to  agree 
closely. 
The  following  process,  based  upon  the  official  method  for  the 
valuation  of  syrup  of  iodide  of  iron,  may  therefore  be  substituted 
for  the  present  official  method  : 
If  1276  grammes  (12753  grammes)  of  the  syrup  and  15  c.c.  of 
water  be  introduced  into  a  flask  and  the  liquid  mixed  successively 
with  1 1  c.c.  of  decinormal  silver  nitrate  V.  S.  and  5  c.c.  each  of 
diluted  nitric  acid  and  ferric  ammonium  sulphate  T.  S.,  it  should  not 
require  more  than  1  .  c.c.  of  decinormal  potassium  sulpho-cyanate 
V.  S.  to  produce  a  reddish-brown  tint,  which  persists  after  shaking 
(corresponding  to  at  least  I  per  cent,  ot  hydriodic  acid). 
 ' 
THE  ANALYSIS  OF  COMMERCIAL  VERATRINE. 
PART  I. 
By  George  B.  Frankforter  and  Levi  B.  Pease. 
The  study  of  the  alkaloids  of  the  various  species  of  veratrum 
began  in  18 19,  when  Pelletier  and  Caventou1  obtained  from  the  seed 
of  Veratrum  sabadilla,  a  substance  which  possessed  remarkable 
alkaloidal  properties.  This  substance  they  called  "  Veratria,"  and 
it  was  known  and  sold  under  that  name  in  pharmacy.  A  very 
similar  substance  was  obtained  a  year  later  from  Verattum  album. 
Experiments  showed  later,  however,  that  the  so-called  "  veratria" 
was  a  mixture  of  several  alkaloids  and  methods  for  their  separation 
1  Ann.  Chim.  et  de  Phys.  (II),  14,  69. 
