nS;Sa)  Alkaloidal  Estimations.  373 
tions  of  belladonna,  cinchona,  hydrastis,  hyoscyamus,  nux  vomica 
and  opium — ten  altogether. 
The  advanced  position  taken  by  the  revisors  of  the  Pharmaco- 
poeia is  also  shown  by  the  nature  of  the  standards  adopted.  While 
our  Pharmacopoeia  of  1890  and  the  present  German  Pharmacopoeia 
direct  the  determination  of  total  alkaloids  of  nux  vomica,  the  new 
revision  of  the  Pharmacopoeia,  also  the  British  Pharmacopoeia,  sepa- 
rates brucine  from  strychnine  and  estimates  the  strychnine  only. 
When  assaying  opium  the  purity  of  the  precipitated  morphine  must 
be  proven.  While  the  British  Pharmacopoeia  directs  the  estimation 
of  total  alkaloids  in  ipecac  the  new  book  uses  a  method  which 
rejects  the  inert  psychotrine.  Similarly  an  attempt  is  made  to  esti- 
mate, not  total  alkaloids,  but  cocaine  in  coca. 
As  is  well  known,  the  amount  of  alkaloid  in  a  given  drug  is  sub- 
ject to  wide  variations,  depending  on  the  conditions  under  which  it 
was  grown,  when  collected,  etc.,  and  the  means  to  be  adopted  to 
obtain  a  drug  preparation  of  definite  strength  has  been  a  frequent 
subject  of  discussion.  It  is  often  asked  whether,  to  obtain  a  fluid 
extract  of  a  certain  alkaloidal  content,  must  a  drug  of  such  strength 
be  used  so  that  100  grammes  will  yield  100  c.c.  of  a  fluid  extract 
of  the  correct  strength  ?  Or  may  weak  and  strong  drug  be  mixed 
in  such  proportions  that  1 00  grammes  of  the  mixture  will  yield 
100  c.c.  of  a  fluid  extract  of  the  correct  strength  ?  Or  may  drug  of 
any  strength  be  used  and  the  volume  of  the  finished  fluid  extract 
adjusted  accordingly?  Similarly,  in  the  preparation  of  solid  ex- 
tracts it  is  asked  whether  an  extract  above  the  desired  strength 
may  be  reduced  with  a  weaker  extract?  Or  may  inert  matter  be 
used  as  diluent?  And,  if  so,  what  diluent  shall  be  used?  Or  if 
extract  of  nux  vomica  should  be  deficient  in  alkaloid,  may  perhaps 
it  be  fortified  with  strychnine  ?  Generally,  the  U.S.P.,  eighth  edition, 
requires  drugs,  when  assayed  by  the  process  given,  shall  yield  "  not 
less  than  "  a  given  per  cent,  of  alkaloid,  and  the  preparation  obtained 
therefrom  shall,  if  "  found  by  the  assay  to  contain  more  than"  the 
required  percentage  of  alkaloid,  be  diluted  to  a  definite  strength. 
For  fluid  extracts  menstruum  such  as  was  used  for  the  percolation 
is  usually  directed  as  the  diluent,  and  for  extracts,  dry  as  well  as 
those  of  pilular  consistence,  sugar  of  milk  is  directed.  Generally, 
as  stated  before,  the  preparations  of  drugs  are  directed  to  be  adjusted 
to  a  definite  standard;  thus  extract  of  nux  vomica  must  contain  0-5 
