Am'jin^'i895arin"}  An  Examination  of  Commercial  Fluid  Extracts.  297 
(5)  Four  samples  were  examined  from  this  source.  The  largest 
percentage  was  found  in  F.  E.  Bryonia,  1-668,  per  cent.,  in  Hydran- 
gea -712,  while  in  F.  E.  Xanthoxylum  and  Lippia  Mexicana  the  exact 
amount  was  not  ascertained. 
(6)  Three  samples  were  procured  from  this  source.  The  largest 
percentage  was  found  in  F.  E.  Convallaria,  which  was  2-5  per  cent.; 
F.  E.  Stigmata  Maydis  contained  1  per  cent.,  while  F.  E.  Belladonna 
Leaves  showed  5  per  cent. 
(7)  Two  samples  were  obtained  from  this  firm.  The  largest 
amount  of  glucose  was  found  in  F.  E.  Burdock  Root,  which  was  5 
per  cent.    F.  E.  Pimpinella  contained  1-67  per  cent. 
(8)  The  two  samples  from  this  source  were  F.  E.  Coca  and 
Humulus. 
The  hop  fluid  extract  contained  the  largest  amount,  2  per  cent.; 
the  other  contained  1  per  cent. 
A  few  remarks  may  perhaps  be  not  inappropriate  regarding  these 
determinations. 
The  remarkably  high  glucose  percentage  in  some  of  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Ranunculaceae,  5  percent,  each  in  F.  E.  Cimicifuga 
and  Pulsatilla,  obtained,  by  the  way,  from  different  manufact- 
urers, induced  the  writer  to  determine  the  amount  of  glucose  in 
F.  E.  Cimicifuga,  prepared  by  himself. 
While  traces  of  glucose  were  present,  determinations  by  Fehling's 
solution  showed  the  presence  of  less  than  1  per  cent. 
The  small  amount  present  was  also  indicated  by  the  fact  that 
Brain's  or  Boettger's  bismuth  test,  when  applied,  responded  but  feebly. 
This  is  remarkable,  as  the  commercial  extract  examined  bore  but 
little  evidence  of  the  presence  of  caramel.  (In  the  pulsatilla  sample, 
the  presence  of  the  latter  was,  however,  very  evident.) 
To  determine  whether  the  process  of  evaporation  of  the  final  per- 
colate produced  any  material  change  in  the  glucose  percentage  found, 
examination  was  made  respectively  before  and  after  the  evaporated 
extract  was  incorporated  with  the  reserved  portion,  but  no  material 
difference  was  revealed. 
Similar  determinations  were  made  with  fluid  extracts  of  gentian 
and  rhubarb,  with  a  like  result. 
Evaporation  at  the  temperature  directed  by  the  Pharmacopoeia 
does  not  appear  to  produce  any  material  change — in  particular,  no 
appreciable  increase  of  the  glucose  percentage. 
