Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  i 
Feb..  1890.  j 
Scopola  Carniolica. 
IOI 
which  is  highly  fluorescent  especially  in  alkaline  solutions, 
appears  to  be  identical  with  Eykman's  scopoletin  and  with 
the  chrysatropic  acid  of  Kunz  ;  there  are  grounds  for  believing 
it  to  be  methyl-sesculetin. 
The  third  paper  is  by  F.  Ransom,  "  on  the  Pharmacy  of 
Scopola."  The  percentage  of  alkaloid  was  determined  by  a 
slight  modification  of  the  process  proposed  by  Prof.  Dunstan 
and  the  author  for  the  essay  of  belladonna  (see  Amer.  Jour. 
Phar.,  1884,  p.  279).  Two  samples  of  the  root  yielded  -43  and 
•51  per  cent,  of  alkaloid,  while  from  belladonna  root  -35,  -38 
and  "39  per  cent,  had  been  obtained.  Experiments  made  with 
menstruums  of  different  alcoholic  strength  showed  that  a 
mixture  of  4  parts  of  alcohol  and  1  part  of  water  extracted 
more  alkaloid  than  a  weaker  or  stronger  spirit.  Based  upon 
these  results,  the  following  preparations  are  proposed : 
Ex tr actum  Scopola  alcoholicum. — Alcoholic  extract  of  scopola. 
Take  of  Scopola  rhizome,  No.  20  powder,  1  pound 
Rectified  spirit,  48  fluid  ounces 
Distilled  water, 
Sugar  of  milk,  of  each  a  sufficiency. 
Mix  the  spirit  with  12  fluid  ounces  of  distilled  water, 
macerate  the  scopola  in  two  parts  of  this  mixture  for  48 
hours,  agitating  occasionally  ;  then  transfer  to  a  percolator, 
and  when  the  fluid  ceases  to  pass,  continue  the  percolation 
with  the  remainder  of  the  diluted  spirit.  Afterwards  sub- 
ject the  contents  of  the  percolator  to  pressure,  filter  the  pro- 
duct, mix  the  liquids  and  evaporate  over  a  water-bath  t  o  the 
consistence  of  a  soft  extract.  Estimate  the  alkaloidal  strength 
of  this,  extract  by  the  following  method  : 
Dissolve  2  grams  of  the  extract  in  about  10  c.  cm.  of  warm 
distilled  water  acidulated  with  a  few  drops  of  diluted  hydro- 
chloric acid.  Pour  the  solution  into  a  stoppered  glass  sepa- 
rator, and  add  ammonia  until  the  liquid  is  distinctly  alkaline. 
Agitate  for  a  few  minutes  with  16  c.  cm.  of  chloroform,  sepa- 
rate and  again  wash  the  aqueous  liquid  with  3  c.  cm.  of 
chloroform.  Agitate  the  mixed  chloroform  solutions  with 
•  10  c.  cm.  of  diluted  hydrochloric  acid,  separate,  wash  with 
3  c.  cm.  of  the  diluted  acid,  mix  the  acid  solutions,  render 
alkaline  with  ammonia,  and  agitate  with  10  c.  cm.  of  chloro- 
