Am.  Jour.  Pharm.\ 
March,  1901.  J 
Commercial  Asafoetida. 
131 
KELLER  METHOD. 
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The  sample  of  coca  used  was  the  Huanuco  variety  (Erythroxylon 
Bolivianum). 
The  alkaloids  from  Keller  method  were  of  a  very  dark  brown 
color  and  crystallized  from  ether  with  difficulty. 
It  will  be  seen  that  while  the  Keller  method  does  give  a  consider- 
ably higher  result  gravimetrically,  it  gives  a  much  lower  one  by 
titration. 
The  cause  of  the  high  result  of  the  gravimetric  process  of  Keller 
is  no  doubt  due  to  the  fact  that  the  light  chloroform-ether  mixture 
extracts  matter  soluble  in  the  dilute  acid,  which  the  kerosene  oil 
does  not,  this  foreign  matter  again  entering  solution  when  the  alka- 
loids are  precipitated  and  shaken  out  with  the  heavy  chloroform- 
ether  mixture. 
As  a  result  of  very  many  assays  made  during  the  past  few  years, 
tr.e  conclusion  is  reached  that  a  leaf  to  be  of  good  quality  should 
assay  by  above  process  about  07  per  cent,  of  total  alkaloids. 
Laboratory  of  Schieffelin  &  Co., 
New  York. 
COMMERCIAL  ASAFCEITDA. 
By  M.  I.  Wilbert. 
Asafoetida  has  for  many  years  been  used  extensively  as  an  anti- 
spasmodic and  also  with  good  effect  as  a  carminative  in  the  flatulent 
colic  of  children.    In  addition  to  this,  it  has  been  used  to  some 
