26  Preparations  of  Ipecacuanha.  {Am7aa ""wL*"** 
first  according  to  the  strength  prescribed  by  B.P.,  the  second  in  accord- 
ance with  the  directions  of  the  U.S.P.,  and  the  third  by  the  use  of  the 
dilute  acetic  acid  of  the  B.P.  in  the  proportion  of  1  in  20.  The  vine- 
•gar  was  prepared,  like  the  wine,  by  maceration  for  seven  days  with 
occasional  agitation,  the  operation  of  shaking  being  performed  on  both 
at  practically  the  same  time.  From  the  "bruised"  portion  wine  and 
vinegar  only  were  made. 
Process  of  Assay. — The  difficulty  in  making  choice  between  rival 
processes  for  the  determination  of  the  emetine  was  considerably  en- 
hanced by  the  knowledge  that  the  chemistry  of  this  alkaloid  is  at  the 
present  moment  in  a  transitional  state.  Added  to  this  was  the  exist- 
ence of  foreign  organic  matter  in  one  of  the  menstrua  employed,  and 
the  method  to  be  adopted  must  be  uninfluenced  by  the  extractive  of 
the  sherry.  Further,  it  was  necessary  to  guard  against  the  introduc- 
tion of  manipulative  difficulties  which  might  ensue  from  operating 
upon  too  large  a  volume  of  liquid.  It  was  also  essential  that  the  re- 
sults should  be  strictly  comparative.  On  trial  it  was  found  that  the 
process  proposed  by  Zinoffsky  could  be  adapted  so  as  to  fulfil  in  the 
main  these  conditions.  The  sample  of  ipecac,  of  Xo.  60  powder  was 
assayed  as  follows: — 
To  15  grams  of  the  drug  were  added  150  c.c.  of  alcohol  (90  per 
cent.)  and  15  drops  of  dilute  sulphuric  acid,  and  shaken  during  twenty- 
four  hours.  At  the  end  of  this  time  100  c.c.  of  the  liquid  were  filtered 
off,  the  alcohol  evaporated,  and  the  residue  taken  up  by  water  was 
titrated  with  Mayer's  solution,  1  c.c.  of  which  corresponded  to  '0189 
gram  of  alkaloid.  The  poiDt  at  which  precipitation  ceases  marks  the 
end  of  reaction.  To  beguile  the  tedium  consequent  upon  the  patient 
watching  for  the  subsidence  of  the  precipitate  after  each  addition  from 
the  burette,  and  to  ensure  a  greater  degree  of  accuracy,  it  is  advisable 
to.  make  two  rough  determinations,  the  third  or  fourth  can  then  be 
performed  with  rapidity  and  precision. 
Examination  of  Wine  and  Fluid  Extract. — A  given  volume  of  each 
was  evaporated  until  free  from  alcohol,  an  excess  of  lime  was  added 
and  a  gentle  heat  applied  until  a  dry  residue  was  obtained.  The  re- 
spective residues  were  exhausted  with  strong  alcohol  and  acidified  with 
sulphuric  acid,  the  spirit  was  removed  by  distillation  and  evaporation, 
and  the  products  were  treated  wTth  a  definite  amount  of  water  and 
titrated. 
The  vinegar  of  ipecac  was  similarly  examined,  in  this  case  the  excess 
