Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Feb.,  1890. 
Wine  of  Beef  and  Iron. 
S5 
simple  estimation  of  ash,  but  is  of  value  as  corroborative 
evidence. 
The  presence  of  ammonia  in  the  iron  salt  slightly  increases 
the  yield  of  nitrogen  (nearly  "015  for  every  *ioo  of  Fe2  03)  so 
that  about '09  gm.  correspond  to  one  percent.  (1  gm.)  extract  of 
beef.  This  would  give  for  E  1-65  and  for  F  8*5  per  cent,  of 
extract. 
Deducting  from  the  ash  the  percentage  of  ferric  oxide  plus 
•2  (per  cent,  of  ash  in  wine),  and  multiplying  the  remainder 
by  five  (extract  of  beef  leaves  about  one-fifth  to  one-sixth  its 
weight  of  ash)  we  get  a  product  approximating  the  percent- 
age of  beef.  For  E  the  result  is  2-35,  for  F  8*8 1  per  cent. 
Both  are  slightly  above  but  very  near  the  truth. 
As  to  the  quality  of  the  wine  employed  we  have  no  safe 
criterion.  The  alcoholic  strength  and  general  physical  prop- 
erties being  the  only  indication  in  this  respect. 
A  wine  of  beef  and  iron  of  standard  quality  should  contain 
from  12-16  per  cent,  of  alcohol,  10  percent,  and  upwards  (not 
exceeding  12)  of  extractive,  yield  about  2  per  cent,  of  ash,  '2 
per  cent,  of  Fe2  03,  and  from  '5-75  of  nitrogen.  About  one- 
half  of  the  solids  and  two-thirds  of  the  ash  should  be  found 
in  the  portion  precipitated  by  alcohol.  Any  sample  yielding 
much  less  than  1  per  cent,  of  ash  and  "15  per  cent,  of  nitro- 
gen can  be  safely  put  down  as  containing  very  little  beef. 
In  conclusion,  the  process  of  examination  can  be  summed 
up  as  follows  : 
1.  Note  physical  properties,  color,  odor,  taste. 
2.  Determine  the  percentage  of  alcohol. 
3.  Determine  total  solid  constituents. 
4.  Incinerate  a  portion  and  determine  the  amount  of  ash. 
5.  Estimate  the  amount  of  ferric  oxide  present. 
6.  Precipitate  a  portion  by  alcohol  and  estimate  the  per- 
centage of  solids  precipitated  and  their  ash. 
7.  Make  an  estimation  of  nitrogen. 
Adulterated  Saffron. — Et.  Ferraud  {Revue  Internal,  des  Falsifical.  des 
Denries  aliment.,  1889  (3),  42-43)  noticed  a  saffron  yielding  26  per  cent,  of 
ash,  composed  to  the  greatest  part  of  barium  sulphate,  and  containing  ir-12 
per  cent,  of  honey  and  a  coloring  matter,  probably  an  azo  color. 
