292        Pharmaceutical  Notes  from  Purdue  University.  {Am-^;^rm- 
with  fluid  extract  of  buchu  alone,  and  with  the  same  quantity  of 
extract  to  which  0*100  gm.  sulphate  of  strychnine  or  brucine  had 
been  added,  representing  0*075  gm.  of  free  alkaloid.  Five  c.c.  of 
this  fluid  extract  (containing  at  least  as  much  extractive  as  25  c.  c. 
tincture  of  mix  vomica)  were  evaporated  in  each  case  and  treated 
with  15  c.c.  chloroform,  15  c.c.  dil.  sulphuric  acid,  and  15  c.c.  of 
water.  The  washing  was  repeated  twice  with  15  c.c.  of  chloroform. 
After  the  addition  of  ammonia,  25  c.  c.  of  chloroform  were  used  to 
extract  the  alkaloid,  and  15  c.c.  for  washing.  The  fluid  extract  of 
buchu  alone  yielded  0*005  gm.  of  residue  by  this  treatment;  hence 
this  amount  was  deducted  from  the  weights  found  in  the  parallel 
determinations.  The  mixed  fluids  were  allowed  to  separate  in  a  glass 
vessel  shaped  like  a  Mohr's  burette,  the  chloroform  being  drawn  off 
by  a  pinch  cock.  Toe  rubber  tube  proved  undesirable,  and  a  glas& 
stop-cock  would  be  recommended  for  further  work;  The  results  are 
below : — 
No.  1   "075  gin.  strychnine  taken  ;  -070  gm.  found. 
No.  2   *075  "  "  "  -065 
No.  3   -075  "  "  "  *065 
No.  4..'   -075  "      brucine        "  '070 
While  these  results  are  too  low,  it  was  thought  best  to  proceed  in 
the  same  manner  with  an  examination  of  commercial  samples.  The 
alkaloidal  residues  were  dried  at  100°  C.  for  one  hour.  Seven  sam- 
ples of  tincture  of  mix  vomica  were  examined,  25  c.c.  being  taken 
for  each  assay. 
No.  1  contained  0'20  per  cent,  alkaloid.  "] 
"  2  "  0-36 
"  3  "  0*31 
"  4  "  0-13 
"  5  "  0-25 
"  6  "  0*20 
"  7  "  0-45 
f.   Mean  value,  0*24  per  cent. 
No.  7  was  prepared  by  the  writer,  according  to  the  directions  of 
the  Q.  S.  P.,  and  is  nearly  twice  as  strong  as  the  mean  of  the  other 
samples,  while  Nos.  1-6  show  a  variation  in  strength  nearly  in  the 
ratio  of  one  to  three . 
A  sample  of  assayed  fluid  extract  from  Eli  Lilly  &  Co.  was  found 
to  contain  1*75  per  cent,  of  alkaloids,  as  claimed  on  the  wrapper. 
Dun stan  and  Short  recommend  extraction  with  a  mixture  of 
only  4  parts  alcohol  to  1  of  water,  instead  of  8  to  1,  as  in  U.  S.  P. 
