448  Quinine,  Cinclwnidine  and  Isomers.  {Amslp";i39oarm* 
placed  upon  ferric  chloride  paper  gives  a  blue  color.  From  the  cc. 
K4Fe(CN)6  is  calculated  the  amount  of  strychnine  and  the  cc.  Tfg-n 
HC1  equivalent  to  it.  The  cc.  yj-^n  HC1  corresponding  to  strych- 
nine is  subtracted  from  the  cc.  y^-n  HC1  necessary  for  the  purified 
total  alkaloids  and  the  remainder  multiplied  by  0-00394  gives  the 
quantity  of  brucine.  From  these  relative  quantities  are  then  cal- 
culated the  percentages  of  the  two  alkaloids.  There  is  a  loss  in 
purifying  the  alkaloids,  but  this  by  experiment  has  been  found  not 
to  alter  the  relative  percentages  of  the  two  alkaloids.  In  five 
extracts  examined  the  ratio  of  strychnine  and  brucine  varied  from 
42  :  58  to  54  :  46.  Taking  a  normal  extract  with  15  per  cent,  total 
alkaloid  the  percentage  of  strychnine  might  vary  from  6-3  per  cent, 
to  8-1  per  cent.,  or  i-8  per  cent.  If  the  physiological  action  of 
strychnine  and  brucine  is  as  given  by  Falk  I  :  38-5  then  little  is 
accomplished  by  a  total  alkaloid  determination ;  it  would  be  more 
to  the  point  to  require  a  fixed  percentage  of  strychnine  and  dis- 
regard the  brucine  (of  which  an  equal  quantity  could  always  be 
assumed).  An  extract  with  fixed  strychnine  percentage  and  a 
brucine  percentage  varying  within  r8  per  cent,  is  undoubtedly  more 
reliable  than  an  extract  containing  a  fixed  quantity  of  total  alkaloid 
in  which  the  strychnine  present  might  vary  r8  per  cent. — H.  Bec- 
kurts,  Arch,  der  Pharm.,  1890,  330-347. 
REMARKS  ON  QUININE,  CINCHONIDINE  AND  THEIR 
ISOMERS.1 
By  Dr.  O.  Hesse. 
It  has  recently  been  suggested  that  there  is  need  of  more  accurate 
determinations  of  the  melting  points  of  anhydrous  quinine  prepared 
in  different  ways,  and  as  the  data  specially  referred  to  were  those 
obtained  by  Dr.  Hesse  he  has  repeated  his  previous  observations, 
and  in  publishing  his  results  has  taken  the  opportunity  to  add  some 
remarks  in  reference  to  the  corresponding  varieties  of  cinchoni- 
dine. 
Dr.  Hesse  had  given  two  data  for  the  melting  point  of  anhydrous 
quinine,  one  relating  to  precipitated  alkaloid  that  had  been  dried  in 
an  exsiccator,  the  other  to  anhydrous  quinine  obtained  by  direct 
crystallization.    In  the  latter  instance  the  observed  melting  point, 
xAnnalen  der  Chemie,  vol.  cclviii,  p.  133.  Reprinted  from  Phar.  Jour,  and 
Trans.,  July  12. 
