202  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  {  ^"'Aprn'"i8?o^''°'' 
Extractum  Cinchonas  liquidum  by  mixing  the  powdered  cinchona  bark 
into  a  thin  paste  with  water,  adding  sufficient  normal  hydrochloric  acid 
(the  quantity  required  is  calculated  from  the  known  percentage'^of  alka- 
loids in  the  bark  used),  transferring  to  a  percolator,  percolating  with 
water  and  exaporating  the  percolate  until  the  weight  of  the  residue 
equals  that  of  the  bark  used.  De  Vrij  considers  that  quantity  fof 
hydrochloric  acid  sufficient  which  transforms  the  alkaloids  present  in 
the  bark  into  acid  hydrochlorates,  readily  soluble  in  water  ;  the  cincho- 
tannic  acid  is  of  course  set  free  and  dissolves  in  the  water.  As  basis 
for  his  calculations  he  assumes  that  320  grams  of  mixed  alkaloids 
require  73  grams  of  anhydrous  hydrochloric  acid.  The  normal  hydro- 
chloric acid  of  the  author  is  a  liquid  containing  36*5  grams  HCl  in  a 
liter.  i 
Extractum  Cinchona  solidum  is  made  like  the  fluid  extract,  except  that 
the  evaporation  is  continued  until  the  extract  has  the  proper  consistence. 
— Archiv  d.  Pharm. ^  ]?in.^  1880,  p.  34,  from  Haaxmanns  Tydschr.  voor 
Pharm. 
Chinoidin  is,  according  to  Burdel,  even  superior  to  quinia  as  a 
remedy  for  malarial  fever  and  quartan  ague,  and  only  has  less  efficacy 
than  quinia  in  the  treatment  of  acute  intermittent  fever.  Hager  modi- 
fies this  statement  ;  he  admits  that  chinoidin,  if  pure,  is  very  efficacious 
as  an  antifebrile  remedy  and  stomachic,  but  regards  it  as  inferior  to 
quinia  as  a  tonic.  He  recommends  the  use  of  the  other  cheap  cinchona 
alkaloids,  because  the  appearance  and  other  properties  of  chinoidin 
greatly  encourage  and  facilitate  adulteration,  the  detection  of  which  is 
often  comparatively  difficult.^  Hager  found  chinoidin  in  doses  of  I'O 
to  1*5  gram,  combined  with  an  acid,  a  mild  and  painless  but  effective 
purgative,  which  does  not  apparently  weaken  the  body. — Pharm.  Cert- 
tralh.^  Feb.  5,  1880,  p.  49. 
Quebracho  Bark  (see  also  "-Amer.  Jour.  Pharm.,"  1879,  p.  192, 
309,  472,  554,  557,  and  Feb.,  1880,  p.  92). — O.  Primke  was  informed 
by  Dr.  Hieronymus,  who  is  connected  with  the  university  at  Cordoba, 
Argentine  Republic,  that  the  wood  and  bark  of  the  following  four 
trees  appear  in  commerce  as  quebracho. 
I.  Aspidosperma  quebracho,  Schlechtendahl^  N.  O.  Apocynaceae, 
common  name.  Quebracho  bianco.  This  tree  grows  in  the  province 
of  Catamarca  and  is  used  by  the  natives  for  malaria  and  asthma. 
^  The  possibility  of  adulteration  is  scarcely  sufficient  reason  for  discarding  the  use 
of  a  valuable  remedy,  which  has  the  additional  recommendation  of  cheapness. — 
Editor. 
