""NoyeZ^rffgiT'l      ^^^^y  Processes  of  the  U.  S.  P.  523 
processes  for  the  determination  of  maltose  and  diastatic  power. 
We  have  met  with  numerous  samples  of  malt  which  were  deficient 
in  both  respects. 
Nux  Vomica  and  Its  Preparations. — Keller's  aliquot  part 
method,  using-  ether  and  chloroform,  gives  fairly  good  results ;  it 
must,  however,  be  admitted  that  the  results  obtained  by  using  the 
U.S. P.  menstruum  are  slightly  higher.  The  amount  of  powdered 
drug  can  be  reduced  on  account  of  the  high  percentage  of  alkaloids 
in  the  drug.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  U.S. P.  IX  again  shall 
adopt  a  method  for  determining  the  strychnine.  The  present  offi- 
cial method  and  the  numerous  modifications  thereof  give  fairly 
accurate  results  only  in  the  hands  of  experienced  workers.  We 
doubt  very  much  that  the  variation  of  the  proportion  of  strychnine 
and  brucine  in  the  drug  is  greater  than  the  variation  obtained  by 
assaying  the  same  drug  by  various  chemists.  Only  such  methods 
should  be  adopted  in  the  U.S. P.  which  are  simple  and  give  fairly 
accurate  results,  and  not  such  ones  which  require  much  ability 
and  experience.  The  U.S. P.  is  not  written  for  experienced  chemists, 
such  as  are  generally  foimd  in  the  laboratories  of  the  large  whole- 
sale houses,  but  for  the  retail  pharmacist  also,  who  very  seldom 
has  and  will  have  a  thorough  experience  in  assaying  drugs.  We 
have  mentioned  on  other  occasions  that  of  all  the  pharmacopoeias 
only  the  English  directs  the  strychnine  to  be  estimated,  and  this  is 
done  by  a  method  which  is  still  inferior  to  the  old  Gerock  method 
and  its  modifications.  We  are  afraid  that  by  adopting  the  strych- 
nine determination  much  trouble  and  numerous  litigations  will  be 
caused.  If  it  is  important  to  determine  the  strychnine  alone,  why 
has  not  a  process  for  doing  so  been  adopted  by  the  Swiss,  German, 
etc.,  pharmacopceias,  which  without  doubt  are  up-to-date  works? 
Is  brucine  therapeutically  absolutely  inert,  and  can  it  be  entirely 
neglected?  In  our  opinion,  the  determination  of  the  total  alkaloids 
(which  by  no  means  is  such  a  very  simple  one,  on  account  of  the 
ammonia  bases  and  the  soap  which  are  liable  to  be  formed  during 
the  assay  process)  is  a  better  criterion  for  the  quality  of  the  drug, 
than  an  unreliable  and  incorrect  estimation  of  the  strychnine  alone. 
Extract  Niicis  Vomiccc. — The  easiest  way  of  assaying  this  extract 
is  to  convert  the  extract  into  a  fluidextract  by  dissolving  in  diluted 
alcohol,  rendering  the  solution  alkaline  with  ammonia  water,  shaking 
out  with  several  portions  of  chloroform,  etc. 
Fluidextractum  and  Tinctura  Nucis  Vomicce. — Evaporate  the 
