AsTPS'e?S8ra'}    British  Pharmaceutical  Conference.  465 
To  the  alcoholic  solution  of  the  alkaloid  an  equal  volume  (75  c.c.)  of  a  5  per 
cent,  solution  of  the  hydrochloric  acid  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  is  added,  and  the 
mixture  shaken  up  three  times  successively  with  15  c.c.  chloroform.  After 
separation  and  rejection  of  the  chloroformic  liquids,  the  acid  solution  is  ren- 
dered distinctly  alkaline  by  the  addition  of  solution  of  ammonium  hydroxide 
and  again  shaken  up  three  times  successively  with  10  c.c.  chloroform.  The 
chloroformic  solutions,  after  withdrawal,  are  mixed  and  evaporated,  and  the 
residue  dried  over  a  water-bath  until  it  ceases  to  lose  weight.  The  dry  alka- 
loidal  residue  is  titrated,  as  the  Pharmacopoeia  directs  in  the  final  stage  of  the 
process  for  determining  the  proportion  of  alkaloid  as  given  under  Extractum 
Belladonnse  Liquidum. 
The  chloroformic  separations  take  place  quicker  and  cleaner  than  is  the  case 
in  the  Pharmacopoeia  process  for  liquid  extract  of  belladonna. 
It  may  be  noted  that  the  difference  between  the  amount  of  alkaloid  obtained 
by  weighing  and  that  indicated  by  subsequent  titration  is  less  than  o*oi 
gram  me 
The  authors  suggest  that  the  strength  of  extract  of  belladonna  should  be 
fixed  at  1  per  cent.,  and  that  of  extract  of  hyoscyamus  at  0*2  per  cent. 
GLUTEN  FLOUR. 
Victor  G.  L.  Felden. 
A  sample  of  so-called  gluten  flour,  having  been  found  to  contain  abundance 
of  starch  and  but  a  small  amount  of  gluten,  the  author  subjected  five  com- 
mercial samples  to  detailed  examination.  With  one  exception,  all  but  one 
proved  to  contain  a  large  proportion  of  gluten,  ranging  from  60  to  76  per  cent. 
The  fifth  sample — of  American  origin— contained  8*5  per  cent.  only.  As 
regards  starch  and  sugar,  the  four  samples  rich  in  gluten  yielded  from  7*6  to 
167  per  cent.,  whilst  the  one  containing  little  gluten  consisted  of  starch  and 
sugar  to  the  extent  of  68*8  per  cent.,  so  that  diabetic  patients  would  gain  little 
by  using  it  instead  of  good  wheaten  flour.  Since  the  proportion  of  gluten  in 
flour  is  readily  determined  by  simply  washing  a  sample  in  a  muslin  bag  and 
drying,  the  author  suggests  that  all  chemists  who  sell  gluten  flour  should 
occasionally  test  their  stock. 
THE  CHARACTERS  AND  METHODS  OF  ASSAY  OF  THE  OFFICIAL 
HYPOPHOSPHITES. 
By  H.  A.  D.  Jowett. 
In  the  proposed  methods  of  assay  previously  given,  no  author  apparently 
made  analyses  of  pure  material  and  of  mixtures  containing  a  known  quantity 
of  impurity.  Tyrer  had  previously  taken  into  consideration  that  phosphite 
will  behave  in  a  similar  manner  to  oxydizing  agents  as  the  hypophosphite. 
In  the  method  suggested  by  Jowett  the  impurities  are  first  removed  by  the 
addition  of  lead  acetate,  the  excess  of  lead  is  then  removed  by  hydrogen  sul- 
phide, and  the  hypophosphite  contained  in  the  filtrate  completely  oxidized 
to  phosphate,  which  is  then  determined  either  gravimetricall3:r  or  volumetri- 
cally.  The  author  suggests  a  thorough  revision  of  official  tests  for  hypo- 
phosphites  and  the  need  of  fixing  standards  of  purity  for  the  same — for  the 
calcium  and  barium  salts,  98  per  cent. ;  for  the  sodium  and  potassium  salts,  96 
per  cent.;  for  the  ferric  salt,  95  per  cent. 
