f    JUL  12  1892 
PkW'l 
THE  AMERICAN 
JOURNAL  OF  PHARMACY. 
JULY,  1892. 
THE  ASSAY  OF  ALKALOIDAL  PREPARATIONS  EXEM- 
PLIFIED BY  THAT  OF  FLUID  EXTRACT  OF  NUX 
VOMICA. 
By  J.  U.  Lloyd. 
The  original  feature  of  the  method  of  assay  described  in  the 
following  paper  is  similar  to  that  offered  for  Fluid  Extract-  of 
Guarana.1  The  results  obtained  are  such  as  will  probably  occur 
with  any  person  who  will  exercise  ordinary  care,  although,  from 
the  nature  of  the  case  (as  will  be  seen)  some  variation  in  results 
should  be  expected.  The  details  of  manipulation  are  given  rather 
more  in  detail  than  is  usually  necessary,  but  these  will  please  some 
persons  who  are  interested  in  this  work,  although  naturally 
unnecessary  with  others.  One  series  of  rotations  is  saved,  it  is 
seen,  by  this  modified  method  as  compared  with  the  general 
scheme  announced  a  year  ago.2  The  use  of  the  "iron  magma" 
prevents  subsequent  emulsions,  and  carries  the  alkaloid  quickly 
into  a  neutral  solvent,  and  this  is  the  characteristic  feature  of  the 
general  scheme.  From  this  solvent  its  abstraction  is  but  a  matter 
of  routine  work,  and  such  variations  in  returns  as  occur  with  the 
process  depend  upon  this  subsequent  part  of  the  manipulation, 
for  all  of  the  alkaloid  is  abstracted  from  the  "iron  magma." 
It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  repeat  that  assaying  to  total 
1  See  American  Druggist,  May  15,  1892,  p.  146,  where  a  description  of  the 
mechanical  mixer  and  form  of  graduate  most  suitable  for  the  use  of  the  latter 
will  be  found. 
2  To  Prof.  Simon  the  plan  of  this  method  was  described  in  New  Orleans 
during  the  meeting  of  the  A.  P.  A.,  and  it  would  have  been  published  sooner 
but  for  experiments  of  Prof.  Norton  that  I  did  not  wish  to  forestall. 
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