X\4mbeS9m-}     Alkaloids  and  Alkaloidal  Drugs.  515 
quires  volumetric  solutions  different  from  those  used  with  all  the 
other  alkaloids.  We  have  also  elaborated  the  volumetric  process  to 
the  separation  of  strychnine  from  brucine.  In  the  case  of  colchicine, 
the  formation  of  a  uniform  periodide  presented  difficulties,  but  we 
hope  to  return  to  the  investigation  of  this  alkaloid,  as  well  as  to  that 
of  aconitine.  Respecting  quinine,  we  have  in  hand  work  upon  its 
separation,  but  we  are  not  confident  of  making  any  improvement 
over  existing  methods. 
To  work  out  a  general  method  of  analytical  extraction  of  alka- 
loids from  crude  drugs,  bringing  the  alkaloids  of  drugs  completely 
into  solution  suitable  for  almost  any  volumetric  or  gravimetric  esti- 
mation, has  been  a  problem  undertaken  in  our  work  during  the  past 
year.  We  were  invited  to  this  problem,  in  fact,  by  the  unexpected 
advantages  of  the  procedure  we  had  adopted  for  extraction  in  opium 
assay,  and  by  a  desire  to  adapt  the  same  procedure  to  other  and  or- 
dinary alkaloidal  drugs.  The  opium  assay  process  we  have  mate- 
rially improved  this  year.  In  result  we  now  desire  to  offer  such  a 
method  for  the  extraction  of  alkaloids  in  process  of  estimation,  es- 
pecially for  use  in  volumetric  estimation,  whether  such  volumetric 
way  be  on  the  iodometric  plan,  or  upon  the  alkalimetric  plan,  the 
latter  having  received  a  quite  favorable  consideration  at  the  hands 
of  analysts. 
In  this  paper  we  beg  leave  to  give  some  further  experimental 
data,  upon  which  we  have  based  the  methods  which  we  propose  for 
alkaloidal  assay,  and  therewith  very  brief  discussion  of  the  claims 
of  these  methods  in  comparison  with  others. 
In  an  accompanying  paper  (See  Amer.  Jour.  Pharm.,  1899,  p. 
462)  we  give,  in  short  compass,  the  bare  directions  for  assay, 
namely,  for  alkaloidal  extraction  in  general,  for  iodometric  esti- 
mation in  general,  with  a  list  of  iodine  factors  for  alkaloids,  the  assay 
of  nux  vomica,  of  ipecacuanha  and  opium  assay. 
We  give  the  simple  directions  for  assays,  disencumbered  of  re- 
ports of  our  experimental  work,  for  the  easier  use  of  analysts  while 
under  the  working  pressure  of  industrial  laboratories,  where  all 
devices  for  the  valuation  of  drugs  ought,  if  possible,  to  come  to  trial 
before  adoption  into  the  text  of  a  national  pharmacopoeia.  But 
whether  for  consideration  by  any  national  committee  of  revision  or 
for  the  attention  of  individual  chemists  anywhere,  it  is  our  desire  to 
give,  if  we  can,  some  addition  to  the  resources  of  analysts,  well 
