434  Examination  of  Quinine  Pills.  {^""septTisss'"' 
to  prove  irritants  in  case  of  violent  inflammation  of  the  diseased  vitals, 
where,  if  particles  of  undecomposed  salt  of  bismuth  could  aggregate, 
might  produce  very  dangerous  results. 
August  25,  1883.   
NOTES  ON  THE  EXAMINATION  OF  QUININE  PILLS. 
By  J.  F.  Carl  Jungk. 
For  the  determination  of  the  percentage  of  sulphate  of  quinine  in 
pills,  the  alkaloidal  salt,  with  the  amount  of  water  of  crystallization, 
as  officinal  in  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia,  1880,  must  be  taken  as  a  basis. 
This  salt  contains 
In  100  parts.  In  10  grains. 
Quinine   74-3119         7*43119  grs.         0*481  gm. 
SO3   9-1743         0-91743   "  O'OGl  " 
H30   16-5137         1-65137  "  0-106  " 
99-9999         9-99999  0-648  " 
or,  in  other  words,  ten  1-grain  or  five  2-grain  pills  must  contain 
7*43119  grains,  or  0'481  gram  of  the  pure  alkaloid. 
The  method  which  I  formerly  used  for  the  examination  of  such 
pills  has  been  submitted  to  Prof.  Fresenius,  whose  opinion  is  given 
below,  while  my  present  process  will  be  given  further  on. 
First  Method. — The  pills,  either  gelatin-  or  sugar-coated,  are  rubbed 
with  water  to  a  smooth  paste;  this  is  mixed  with  recently  slaked  lime 
and  the  mixture  evaporated  to  dryness  over  a  water-bath.  The  dry 
product  is  then  rubbed  into  a  very  fine  powder  and  treated  with  chloro- 
form until  a  drop  of  the  filtered  liquid  evaporated  on  a  watchglass 
will  not  leave  any  residue,  and  also  not  give  any  opacity  with  a  solu- 
tion of  iodide  of  mercury  and  potassium  after  the  addition  of  a  few 
drops  of  diluted  acid. 
The  chloroforui  solution  is  then  evaporated  in  an  accurately  tared 
vessel,  at  a  low  heat,  until  the  weight  of  the  residue  remains  constant. 
The  weight  of  this  product  represents  the  weight  of  quinine,  that  is, 
if  on  application  of  tests  the  residue  proves  to  be  pure  quinine. 
The  amount  of  water  of  crystallization  was  first  determined  in  the 
crystallized  sulphate  of  quinine  to  be  used  in  making  the  analysis. 
The  salt  was  then  formed  into  pills  with  gum,  sugar  and  starch. 
Sulphate  of  quinine  employed.  Found.  Loss. 
0-1320  0-1297  0-0023 
0-1123  0-1112  1-0011 
0-1622  01602  0-0020 
    \   
0-4065  0-4011  0-0054 
