332 
Tincture  of  Fat-Free  Digitalis. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
July,  1899. 
is  yellow  and  readily  soluble  in  the  caustic  solutions.  But  with 
phenol  itself,  bismuth  forms  a  gray  compound  practically  insoluble 
in  sodium  or  potassium  hydrate  solutions. 
The  formula  assigned  by  B.  Fischer  and  B.  Griitzner  is  more 
nearly  in  accord  with  the  results  of  this  investigation.  Their 
formula,  C6H2(OH)3CO,Bi(OH),  +  HaO,  requires  the  article  to  con- 
tain 54'23  per  cent,  of  bismuth  oxide;  found  in  this  investigation 
from  52-73  to  54-63  per  cent,  of  bismuth  oxide.  This  variation  is 
due  to  different  degrees  of  hydration. 
Bismuth  subgallate  is  a  soft,  light  yellow,  generally  amorphous 
powder,  of  a  somewhat  variable  composition  (but  may  have  some 
microscopic  crystals),  without  odor  or  taste  and  permanent  in  the 
air  ;  indifferent  to  light  and  may  be  sterilized  at  100°  C;  insoluble 
in  water,  alcohol,  ether  or  dilute  acids;  soluble  in  solutions  of  the 
fixed  alkalies  and  strong  inorganic  acids.  When  incinerated  in  a 
porcelain  crucible  the  residue  may  vary  from  53  to  55  per  cent. 
Neither  alcohol  nor  ether  should  remove  anything.  One  gramme, 
calcined  in  a  porcelain  crucible  and  dissolved  in  dilute  sulphuric 
acid,  should  not  give  any  indication  of  arsenic  with  Marsh's 
apparatus. 
TINCTURE  OF  FAT-FREE  DIGITALIS.1 
By  Joseph  W.  England. 
In  1892  I  had  the  pleasure  of  presenting  to  this  Association  a 
paper  on  the  subject  of  "  Infusion  of  Digitalis."  In  discussing  the 
chemistry  of  digitalis  leaf,  I  stated  then  that  the  term  digitalin  had 
been  given  to  a  variety  of  products,  but  was  generally  reserved 
for  the  compound  obtained  by  Schmiedeberg  in  1875.  The  com- 
mercial digitalins,  whether  crystalline  or  amorphous,  were  stated 
to  be  varying  mixtures  of  Schmiedeberg's  digitalin,  digitoxin,  digi- 
tonin,  digitalein,  and  certain  decomposition  products.  Of  these, 
all,  save  digitoxin,  were  believed  to  be  glucosides.  Including  the 
decomposition  products,  these  principles  could  be  grouped  into  two 
classes,  according  to  solubility.  (1)  Those  soluble  in  alcohol,  and 
insoluble  or  almost  insoluble  in  water;  (2)  those  soluble  in  both 
alcohol  and  water.    Digitalin  and  digitoxin  were  assigned  to  the 
1  Read  before  the  meeting  of  the  Pennsylvania  Pharmaceutical  Association, 
held  at  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy  on  June  14,  1899. 
