248  The  Rapid  Determination  of  Heroin.  { ^ i^s*™1" 
difference  in  ionization  between  the  thus  formed  hydrochloric  acid 
and  ferric  hydroxide,  or  from  an  impurity  in  the  sublimed  salt. 
A  minute  examination  of  the  product,  for  which,  however,  the 
time  was  lacking,  might  have  determined  the  question. 
The  sodium  hydroxide  solution  added  to  number  two  was  equiva- 
lent to  1  Cc.  decinormal  in  the  2  Cc.  employed.  Neither  with  nor 
without  starch  solution  is  this  quantity  exactly  found.  In  number 
three  the  added  quantity  of  decinormal  sodium  hydroxide  is  very 
accurately  found  in  both  cases. 
A  much  greater  difference  resulted  between  the  two  tests  num- 
bered seven.  In  the  first,  where  starch  solution  was  employed,  0.68  -f- 
0.08  Cc.  decinormal  acid  was  found,  a  very  slight  difference  from  the 
added  portion,  which  was  0.80  Cc.  The  titration  without  starch 
shows  a  considerable  deficit,  0.25  -|-  0.12  =  0.37  Cc.  only  being  found. 
After  all,  I  cannot  assert  how  nearly  the  result  of  the  titration 
corresponds  with  the  true  composition  of  the  solution.  Yet  the 
results  obtained  in  this  simple  operation  may  be  prescribed  within 
narrow  limits.   Repeated  titrations  give  but  slightly  different  results. 
From  the  examination  of  several  specimens  I  concluded  that  these 
limits  may  be  formulated  as  follows :  2  Cc.  of  the  solution  should 
require  no  more  than  1.2  Cc.  decinormal  sodium  hydroxide  when 
examined  in  the  above-mentioned  manner.  If  the  mixture  be  alkaline 
toward  methylorange,  the  addition  of  1  Cc.  decinormal  hydrochloric 
acid  to  the  ferric  chloride  solution  should  produce  a  mixture  of  acid 
reaction. 
THE  RAPID  DETERMINATION  OF  SMALL  QUANTITIES 
OF  HEROIN. 
By  Reginald  Miller. 
This  laboratory  frequently  receives  samples  of  drugs  for  analysis 
among  which  are  heroin  and  cocaine. 
In  many  cases  the  total  quantity  of  heroin  does  not  .exceed 
YA  grain  mixed  with  varying  amounts  of  milk  sugar  and  sometimes 
cocaine.  To  determine  this  quantity  of  heroin  by  the  extraction 
method  is  extremely  difficult,  particularly  if  cocaine  is  present  as 
well  as  heroin.  A  rapid  method  by  which  small  quantities  of  heroin 
could  be  determined  with  reasonable  accuracy  was  sought  to  facilitate 
these  examinations. 
