400 
Tannin  of  Cinnamomum  Cassia. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Phaim. 
\      August,  1895. 
lected  from  eight  of  the  above  assays  after  two  months'  standing. 
The  weight  of  this  precipitate  showed  an  increase  of  0-8 1  per  cent, 
of  morphine  for  the  opium,  but  upon  closer  examination  this  precipi- 
tate was  found  to  consist  of  but  54-43  per  cent,  pure  morphine,  the 
remainder  being  calcium  meconate  and  organic  matter. 
After  three  months'  standing,  an  aliquot  part  of  the  mother  liquor 
and  aqueous  washings,  free  from  any  sediment,  was  treated  accord- 
ing to  Mr.  Dieterich's  process,  and  0-15  per  cent,  more  of  morphine 
was  obtained,  making  the  total  quantity  for  the  given  sample  14-81 
per  cent,  pure  morphine. 
The  author  states  that  he  considers  a  correction  unnecessary  for 
a  well-executed  assay  ;  that  is,  allowing  from  twelve  to  sixteen  hours 
for  precipitation  and  adhering  closely  to  the  text,  the  amount  of  the 
crude  morphine  will  not  exceed  the  percentage  of  pure  morphine  in 
the  sample. 
THE  TANNIN  OF  CINNAMOMUM  CASSIA. 
By  Thomas  R.  Thorxtox,  Ph.G. 
Contribution  from  the  Chemical  Laboratory  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of 
Pharmacy.   Xo.  145. 
In  a  lecture  on  pharmacy  delivered  to  the  Senior  Class  of  this 
College  during  the  past  winter,  the  lecturer  stated  that  the  nature 
of  the  tannin  present  in  the  variety  of  cinnamon  under  discus- 
sion at  times  interfered  very  much  with  the  process  of  perco- 
lating the  drug  with  aqueous  menstrua,  and  occasionally  rendered 
it  almost  impossible. 
This  statement  induced  the  author  to  undertake  the  examination 
of  the  tannin  that  is  recorded  in  this  paper.  But  before  commenc- 
ing the  investigation  of  the  character  of  the  tannin,  it  was  decided 
to  estimate  the  amount  of  the  principle  contained  in  the  drug. 
For  this  purpose  three  samples  of  the  drug  were  obtained,  and  from 
each  lot  a  decoction  was  made  by  exhausting  20  grammes  of 
the  powdered  article  with  enough  hot  water  to  make  1  litre  of 
liquid  when  the  latter  was  cool.  The  tannin  contained  in  these 
liquids  was  then  estimated  by  both  the  hide  powder  and  the  gelatin 
and  alum  methods,  both  of  which  have  frequently  been  described 
in  this  Journal. 
