248 
Analysis  of  Cine  ho- Quinine, 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\      June,  1876. 
fine  powder — the  other  portion  being  reserved  for  verifying  the  results 
obtained — and  macerated  for  thirty  hours  with  sufficient  ether  to  cover 
it,  afterwards  transferred  to  a  filter,  and  washed  with  ether  until  at  least 
four  fluidounces  of  filtrate  were  obtained,  which  were  evaporated  in  a 
beaker,  the  result  indicating  the  total  amount  of  alkaloids  soluble  in  the 
quantity  of  ether  employed.  On  treating  this  residue  with  76  times  its 
weight  of  ether,  a  residue  was  left,  which,  after  dissolving  in  water  by  the 
aid  of  sulphuric  acid,  was  not  afFected  by  chlorine  water  and  ammonia, 
proving  the  complete  absence  of  quinia  and  quinidia,  nor  could  a  pre- 
cipitate be  obtained  on  the  addition  of  a  concentrated  solution  of  pure 
Rochelle  salt  and  setting  aside  for  two  days  ;  cinchonidia  was  there- 
fore likewise  absent,  and  the  undissolved  portion  was  cinchonia. 
The  etherial  solution  was  again  evaporated  to  dryness  and  the  resi- 
due weighed,  afterwards  treated  with  40  times  its  weight  of  water  and 
sufficient  sulphuric  acid  to  obtain  a  solution,  which  was  carefully  neu- 
tralized by  ammonia. 
With  the  old  cincho-quinine  a  perfect  solution  was  obtained,  but 
the  new  cincho  quinine  left  some  greenish  resinous  globules  behind, 
which  would  likewise  not  dissolve  in  boiling  acidulated  water.  The 
filtered  solution  of  the  sulphate  was  treated  with  tartrate  of  sodium  and 
potassium,  and  the  precipitated  tartrate  of  cinchonidia  collected  after  two 
days,  washed  and  dried  ;  one  part  of  this  tartrate  representing  '804 
part  of  cinchonidia,  the  actual  amount  of  this  alkaloid  present,  is  easily 
calculated. 
The  filtrate  and  washings  from  this  precipitate  were  concentrated 
to  the  original  measure  and  mixed  with  strong  solution  of  potassium 
iodide  in  excess.  On  the  following  day,  the  precipitated  hydriodate  of 
quinidia  was  collected,  washed  and  dried,  and  its  weight  multiplied  with 
0*718,  to  ascertain  the  total  amount  of  this  alkaloid. 
The  filtrate  from  the  foregoing  precipitate  contained  all  the  quinia. 
To  avoid  the  solvent  action  of  the  chemicals  previously  added,  upon 
the  herapathite,  it  was  determined  not  to  estimate  the  quinia  in  this 
form,  but  to  weigh  it  as  pure  alkaloid.  Accordingly,  the  liquid  was 
evaporated  and  the  dry  mass  treated  with  ether,  on  evaporating  the 
ether,  iodide  of  ammonium  was  found  in  the  residue.  It  was  therefore 
dissolved  in  water,  boiled  with  sufficient  sulphuric  acid  to  eliminate  all 
hydriodic  acid,  precipitated  by  ammonia,  and  repeatedly  agitated  with 
fresh  portions  of  ether,  which,  on  evaporation,  left  pure  quinia. 
The  amount  of  moisture  contained  in  cincho-quinine  was  ascer- 
