212  Contributions  from  H.  M.  Gordin.     { Am-May^S.arm~ 
filtered,  and  from  20  c.c.  of  the  filtrate  (=  2  grammes  of  drug), 
after  making  alkaline  with  ammonia,  the  alkakoids  were  shaken  out 
three  times  with  a  mixture  of  three  parts  of  ether  and  one  part 
chloroform,  using  30  c.c.  of  this  mixture  each  time.  After  distilling 
off  the  ether-chloroform,  the  alkaloids  were  taken  up  with  a  little 
N 
chloroform,  then  20  c.c.           acid  added,  and  the  last  trace  of  chloro- 
40 
form  removed  by  a  current  of  air.    The  final  estimation  was  then 
N 
made  alkalimetrically,  using  —  alkali  for  residual  titration  and 
40 
Mayer's  reagent  as  precipitant.  The  dregs  in  the  percolator  were 
tested  for  alkaloid  as  described  above.  None  were  found  either  by 
reagents  or  by  taste. 
The  amount  of        acid  consumed  by  2  grammes  of  the  drug 
40 
assayed  by  this  standard  method  was  found  to  be  7-2  c.c.  =  3-27 
total  alkaloids  (taking  the  mean  factor  of  strychnine  and  brucine). 
Having  assayed  the  drug  by  this  method,  method  A  was  applied, 
continuing  the  boiling  for  six  hours,  but  the  results  were  far  below 
those  obtained  by  the  standard  method,  but  method  B,  after  reduc- 
ing the  drug  to  a  very  fine  powder  (about  No.  100),  gave  results 
approaching  very  near  those  obtained  by  the  standard  method. 
Two  assays  were  then  made  by  method  B,  digesting  4  grammes 
of  the  finely  powdered  drug  with  50  c.c.  of  modified  Prollius' 
fluid,  shaking  (in  shaker)  four  hours,  drawing  off  25  c.c.  (= 
2  grammes  drug),  and  shaking  out  with  acid  water.  The  acid 
solution  was  made  alkaline  with  ammonia,  and  the  alkaloids 
shaken  out  three  times  with  a  mixture  of  two  parts  chloroform  and 
one  part  ether,  using  30  c.c.  of  this  mixture  each  time.  The  ether- 
chloroform  was  distilled  off  completely,  the  residue  taken  up  with 
20  c.c.  J^L  H2S04  and  a  little  chloroform,  and  the  chloroform  re- 
40 
moved  by  blowing  air  into  the  flask.  The  estimation  was  finished 
in  the  regular  way. 
Method  Used  £ ^  C°nSUmed       Percentage  of 
ivietnoa  Lsea.  by  2  Grammes.         Total  Alkaloids. 
Standard   7*2  c.c.  3*27 
B   6-9  c.c.  3*14 
B  (duplicate)   6*8  c.c.  3*09 
The  results  obtained  by  method  B  are  a  little  lower  than  those 
obtained  by  the  standard  method,  but  they  are  the  best  I  was  able 
