Am  Ma^'iSarm*}       Cinchonidine  in  Quinine  Sulphate.  245 
acter  of  the  British  Pharmacopoeia  test  of  the  purity  of  this  article. 
But  there  is  no  warrant  for  the  assumption  that  all  the  sulphate  of 
quinine  of  commerce  is  to  be  included  in  the  same  category. 
The  results  of  analysis  of  a  few  samples  of  such  inferior  kinds  of 
quinine  sulphate  are  shown  in  the  following  table : 
Table  B. 
No. 
Water  of  crystal- 
lization. 
Per  cent. 
Quinine  sulphate 
Per  cent. 
Cinchonidine 
sulphate. 
Per  cent. 
29 
15-04 
79-04 
5-92 
30 
15-51 
76-98 
7-51 
31 
15-40 
77-60 
7-00 
32 
1505 
76-97 
7-98 
33 
13-80 
78-05 
8.15 
34 
15-03 
78-03 
6-94 
35 
15-28 
78-24 
6-48 
36 
15-60 
75-40 
9-00 
37 
14-63 
79-57 
5-80 
38 
11-40 
74-70 
13-90 
39 
14-98 
76-37 
8.65 
40 
15-95 
77-39 
6-66 
The  samples  referred  to  in  this  latter  table  were  in  all  probability 
liable  to  suspicion ;  but,  with  the  exception  of  one,  eyen  these  do  not 
appear  so  bad,  as  regards  the  amount  of  cinchonidine  sulphate,  as  Dr. 
de  Yrij  now  represents  the  whole  of  the  quinine  sulphate  of  commerce 
to  be,  whether  of  English,  German  or  French  manufacture.  It  is, 
moreover,  especially  noteworthy,  as  regards  Dr.  de  Vrij's  results,  that 
he  has,  in  all  instances,  operated  upon  those  brands  of  quinine  sul- 
phate which  have  the  highest  repute  and  have  hitherto  been  found  to 
contain  but  very  little  cinchonidine.  It  may  therefore  be  inferred 
that  Dr.  de  Vrij  has  been  misled  by  the  method  he  has  adopted  and 
by  the  speculative  grounds  upon  which  his  conclusions  are  founded, 
so  that  the  data  given  by  him  may  in  reality  be  regarded  as  mere  ex- 
ponents of  a  varying  error  of  observation. — Analytical  Laboratory, 
13  Fenchurch  avenue,  E.  C. — Phar.  Jour,  and  Trans.,  March  20;  1886, 
p.  797.  
Boric  Acid  in  Diabetes  Mellitus. — F.  A.  Monckton  (Australasian 
Med.  Gaz.)  reports  he  has  cured  one  case  of  diabetes  mellitus  with  this  drug. 
The  patient  was  not  stringently  dieted,  but  was  given  seven  grains  of  the  acid 
three  times  a  day, and  at  the  end  of  ten  weeks  the  sugar  had  all  disappeared  from 
the  urine,  the  specific  gravity  being  reduced  from  1025  to  1016.  The  drug 
produces  no  unpleasant  effect. — Cine  Lancet,  March  6,  1886. 
