222 
New  Test  for  Cocaine. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
May.  1899. 
The  consistence  of  this  cerate  was  about  the  same  as  the  one  pre- 
pared according  to  Formula  No.  I,  the  color  being  almost  identical. 
The  following  formula  was  used  for  spermaceti  cerate : 
Spermaceti  10  grammes. 
Japan  Wax  25  " 
Olive  Oil  .65 
The  consistence  and  color  of  this  cerate  were  almost  identical 
with  the  U.S.P.  product. 
Goulard's  cerate  was  made  according  to  the  following  formula 
(the  camphor  cerate  having  been  previously  made  by  using  Japan 
wax) : 
Goulard's  Extract  200  grammes. 
Camphor  Cerate  800  " 
This  cerate  was  all  that  could  be  desired,  it  being  of  a  nice  white 
color,  and  no  oxidation  taking  place,  after  standing  for  more  than  a 
year. 
Resin  cerate  was  made  according  to  the  following  formula : 
Resin  :'■'.•■'«  35  grammes. 
Japan  Wax  .10  " 
Lard  55  " 
This  had  about  the  same  consistence  as  the  U.S.P.  product. 
A  NEW  TEST  FOR  COCAINE. 
By  Dr.  George  L.  Schaefer. 
There  are  two  well  known  tests  for  determining  the  freedom  of 
commercial  cocaine  salts  from  other  coca  alkaloids.  These  are  the 
permanganate  test  for  detecting  cinnamyl-cocaine,  and  the  am- 
monia test,  popularly  known  as  McLagan's  test,  for  detecting  the 
presence  of  the  coca  alkaloids  which  are  resistant  to  permanganate. 
While  it  is  generally  admitted  that  the  permanganate  test  is  suffi- 
cient to  detect  the  presence  of  cinnamyl  compounds,  chemists  have 
expressed  some  doubt  regarding  the  value  of  McLagan's  test.  The 
writer  has  for  some  time  been  conducting  experiments  with  the 
object  of  finding  a  substitute  for  McLagan's  test  which  would  allow 
of  the  rapid  and  accurate  determination  of  the  presence  in  cocaine 
salts  of  the  coca  alkaloids  not  indicated  by  the  permanganate  test. 
As  the  result  of  numerous  determinations,  I  have  devised  a  test 
based  on  the  fact  that  the  chromates  of  these  alkaloids  are  much  less 
