456 
Estimation  of  Formaldehyde. 
(Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\     October,  1913. 
This  test  has  been  used  with  much  satisfaction  in  a  series  of 
clinical  experiments  conducted  at  Union  Protestant  Infirmary  by 
Dr.  George  Walker,  Associate  Professor  of  Surgery,  Johns  Hopkins 
Hospital. 
In  line  with  the  above  work  is  a  recent  examination  of  samples 
of  whiskey  submitted  by  Dr.  Hiram  Woods,  Eye  Specialist,  of  this 
city.  Dr.  Woods  stated  that  he  was  at  that  time  treating  a  patient 
almost  blind,  who  could  offer  no  explanation  of  his  condition, 
except  that  he  had  partaken  rather  freely  of  whiskey  mislabelled 
Sherwood  Maryland  Rye. 
Upon  investigating  a  sample  of  this  brand  of  whiskey,  it  was 
found  to  be  a  mixture  of  approximately  30  per  cent,  methyl  alcohol, 
about  15  per  cent,  grain  alcohol  and  55  per  cent,  water.  This 
sample  was  tested  among  other  tests,  including  specific  gravity  of 
distillates,  as  follows : 
A  test  tube  partially  filled  with  sample  of  whiskey  was  heated 
until  vapor  formed  in  upper  part  of  tube,  into  which  a  copper 
spiral  heated  to  redness  and  slightly  cooled  in  air  was  plunged. 
The  characteristic  odor  of  formaldehyde  and  the  effect  on  nasal 
passages  was  observed,  masked  to  some  extent  by  acetaldehyde  and 
other  odors.  The  formaldehyde  odor  was  much  more  character- 
istic when  applied  to  a  fraction  of  distillate  partially  freed  from 
water  by  saturating  with  potassium  citrate  and  distilling  super- 
natant layer. 
The  specimen  was  further  tested  as  follows :  100  c.c.  was 
supersaturated  with  potassium  citrate  and  thoroughly  shaken. 
When  two  strata  of  liquid  were  formed,  the  upper  measured  about 
44  c.c.  This  latter  liquid  was  removed  into  a  distilling  bulb  con- 
nected with  a  distillation  tube  having  several  bulbs  and  carrying 
glass  beads.  The  liquid  was  heated  on  water  bath  and  began 
to  boil  at  68°-7o°  C,  the  larger  portion  distilling  over  under  75 0  C, 
rising  to  78 0  then  to  85 °.  -  The  mixed  distillate  was  twice  distilled 
over  lime,  practically  all  coming  over  under  780  C.  This  distillate 
was  then  carefully  fractionated,  the  lower  boiling  point  fractions 
being  collected  and  refractionated  until  19  c.c.  of  liquid  boiling  at 
65 °-66°  C.  was  obtained.  This  distillate  tested  with  copper  spiral 
gave  entirely  characteristic  formaldehyde  effects. 
Formaldehyde  produced  in  solution  by  plunging  heated  copper 
spiral  into  portion  of  distillate  and  testing  in  .accordance  with 
Rimini's  Test,  gave  entirely  characteristic  reaction,  as  also  Hehner's 
milk  test,  Phloroglucin  test,  and  Dunning's  test. 
