146      Assay  of  Atropia  in  Extracts  of  Belladonna,  {Km^\;I£t™' 
sublimate,  in  excess  of  iodide  of  potassium,  the  strength  of  which 
solution  was  13*546  grams  of  corrosive  sublimate,  and  49*8  grams  of 
iodide  of  potassium,  per  litre.  Of  this  solution  1  c.c.  will  precipitate 
•0145  of  a  gram  of  atropia.  Experiments  were  first  made  with  a 
known  quantity  of  pure  atropia,  dissolved  in  water  and  dilute  sulphuric 
acid,  in  order  to  become  acquainted  with  the  process  and  to  insure 
correctness  with  the  solution  prepared.  In  each  case  not  less  than  three 
titrations  were  made. 
TABLE  OF  RESULTS. 
MANUFACTURER. 
Test  solution  requisite 
Indicating 
Percentage  of 
lor  100  c.c.  01  extract  solution. 
atropia. 
atropia  in  extract. 
Extr.  Belladonna?  Alcoh.  U.  S.  P. 
17-732 
'2571 
2-571 
Lazell,  Marsh  &  Gardiner, 
i7"33 
•2511 
a«5 11 
Parke,  Davis  &  Co. 
16-264 
•2358 
2-358 
Burrough  Bros. 
16*264 
•2358 
2-358 
Henry  Thayer  &  Co. 
12-666 
•1836 
1-836 
Tilden  &  Co. 
I2'4 
•1798 
1-798 
Chas.  Ellis1  Son  k  Co. 
12-133 
•I759 
1*759 
McKesson  &  Robbins, 
11-71 
•1697 
1-697 
E.  Merck  (alcoholic  extract), 
1 0*26 
•1488 
1-488 
Geo.  Allen  &  Co. 
973 
•I4II 
V4.1t 
Herrings  &  Co. 
8*133 
•"7.9 
1-179 
Mt.  Lebanon,  N.  Y.  (inspissated  ji 
jice,  6 
years  old), 
6*24 
•0904 
•904 
E.  Merck  (aqueous  eqtract),  made 
1869, 
r9 
•0275 
•275 
These  results  lead  to  the  following  conclusions  : 
1st.  That  the  American  extracts  of  belladonna  contain  a  larger 
percentage  of  atropia  than  the  imported,  the  reason  for  which,  doubt- 
less, is  the  mode  of  manufacture ;  while  the  former  are  generally- 
made  from  the  imported  leaves,  by  the  use  of  alcohol  and  subsequent 
evaporation,  the  latter  are  made  from  the  expressed  juice. 
2d.  That  the  extracts  which  stood  lowest  in  the  list  of  assays  were 
aqueous  extracts.  The  two  lowest  containing  but  -9  and  '2J  of  one 
per  cent,  of  atropia,  and  since  the  date  of  manufacture  of  both  was 
1869,  it  tends  to  show  the  unstability  of  such  preparations.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  but  that,  at  a  recent  date  of  manufacture,  aqueous 
extracts  of  belladonna,  and,  perhaps,  of  hyoscyamus  and  conium,  are 
of  better  quality,  but  if,  in  a  few  years,  they  deteriorate  to  worthless 
extracts,  is  there  not  good  ground  for  saying  that  the  class  of  inspis- 
sated juices  of  narcotic  plants  are  unstable,  unreliable,  unsafe  and  not 
worthy  a  place  in  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia  ?    I  say  unsafe,  for,  if  a 
