Am.  jour.  Pharm.j       Tannin  of  Cinnamomnm  Cassia.  401 
August,  1895. 
The  following  are  the  results  which  were  obtained  ;  they  are 
stated  in  percentage  and  are  based  on  the  original  drug  : 
Method  of  Estimation. 
Number  of  Sample.                                                       Hide  Powder.      Gelatin  and  Alum. 
I   370  3'37 
2   3'2°  3*83 
3  •  •  .  ■   4"8o  4-32 
In  order  to  isolate  the  tannin,  a  quantity  of  powdered  cinnamon 
was  exhausted  by  maceration  and  percolation  with  acetone.  From 
the  percolate  the  greater  part  of  the  solvent  was  recovered  by  dis- 
tillation under  reduced  pressure. 
To  the  concentrated  liquid  resulting  from  this  operation,  succes- 
sive additions  of  water  were  made,  until  the  resinous  substances  and 
associated  matters  were  completely  precipitated.  The  mixture  was 
then  filtered,  the  insoluble  part  set  aside  and  the  nitrate  shaken 
with  acetic  ether,  the  object  being  to  remove  any  tannin  from  the 
water  solution.  However,  when  the  layer  of  acetic  ether  was  sepa- 
rated and  distilled  there  was  but  a  very  small  residue  left.  This 
residue  was  of  a  resinous  nature.  To  afford  the  acetic  ether  a  better 
opportunity  to  extract  the  tannin  from  the  water  solution,  the  latter 
was  saturated  with  sodium  chloride.  But  a  repetition  of  the  agita- 
tion with  acetic  ether  after  this  treatment  did  not  serve  to  remove 
tannin. 
Having  cognizance  of  the  possibility  of  a  co-precipitation  of  the 
tannin  with  the  resin  of  the  drug  when  the  concentrated  acetone 
percolate  was  mixed  with  water,  the  author  resorted  to  the  precipi- 
tate which  was  produced  by  the  addition  of  water,  the  insoluble 
part  of  the  extract  which  he  had  set  aside.  This  was  dissolved  in 
acetone,  the  solution  diluted  with  water  and  afterwards  saturated 
with  sodium  chloride. 
The  outcome  of  this  treatment  was  a  reddish-brown  plastic  mass, 
which  separated  in  the  layer  of  brine  and  a  supernatant  layer  of 
acetone.  The  latter  was  removed,  but  no  residue  of  tannin  was 
obtained  when  the  solvent  was  recovered. 
This  last  described  attempt  to  isolate  the  tannin  having  proved 
futile,  it  was  decided  to  try  the  extraction  of  the  tannin  from  the 
drug  by  the  use  of  hot  water — a  solvent  which  would  remove  at 
most  but  mere  traces  of  resin.  Accordingly,  a  decoction  was  pre- 
pared in  this  manner.    It  was  shaken  with  acetic  ether,  the  mixture 
