250  LIGHT  SULPHATE  OF  QUININE — A  FRAUD. 
acid,  and  treated  with  nitrate  of  silver,  which  produced  a  copious 
white  precipitate,  soluble  in  excess  of  ammonia,  showing  the 
presence  of  hydrochloric  acid. 
It  having  been  demonstrated  that  the  article  contained  no 
quinia,  further  examination  was  decided  on,  having  in  view  the 
identification  of  the  alkaloid.  It  is  freely  soluble  in  cold  and 
much  more  so  in  hot  water,  soluble  in  alcohol ;  cold  concentrated 
sulphuric  acid  dissolves  it  without  change  of  color,  but  an  odor 
of  hydrochloric  acid  is  developed  ;  on  the  application  of  heat  the 
solution  becomes  light  brown ;  the  crystals  are  freely  soluble, 
without  change  of  color  in  concentrated  hydrochloric  and  nitric 
acids.  Soluble  in  chlorine  water-without  change  of  color,  and 
upon  the  addition  of  ammonia  a  dirty  white  precipitate  is  pro- 
duced not  soluble  in  excess  of  ammonia,  the  liquid  filtered  from 
the  precipitate  was  of  a  straw  color. 
A  solution  of  the  salt,  to  which  a  few  drops  of  dilute  hydro- 
chloric acid  were  added,  when  treated  with  ferrocyanide  of  po- 
tassium, yielded  a  copious  yellow  precipitate.  Upon  the  appli- 
cation of  a  gentle  heat  the  precipitate  dissolved,  and  the  solution 
upon  cooling  deposited  an  abundance  of  beautiful  golden  yellow 
crystals. 
These  tests,  while  showing  the  absence  of  quinia,  furnish  con- 
clusive evidence  that  the  alkaloid  is  cinchonia,  containing  traces 
of  cinchonidine. 
The  reaction  with  nitrate  of  silver,  already  mentioned,  shows 
the  alkaloid  to  be  in  combination  with  hydrochloric  acid.  The 
"Light  Sulphate  of  Quinine  "  is,  therefore,  hydro  chlorate  of  cin- 
chonia. The  latter  salt  resembles  quite  closely  in  appearance 
the  sulphate  of  quinia,  and  it  is  a  substitution  which  might 
readily  pass  unnoticed.  The  manufacturers  have  taken  advan- 
tage of  this  resemblance  to  perpetrate  an  extensive  and  most 
reprehensible  fraud,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  their  field  of 
operation  may  be  transferred  from  Ludgate  to  "  Newgate,"  with 
the  privilege  of  conducting  business  in  the  latter  locality  for  an 
unlimited  period. 
Chicago,  February,  1870. 
— The  Pharmacist,  Chicago  March,  1870. 
