33$  Assay  of  Nux  Vomica. 
alkaloids  cannot  prevent  alkaloidal  substitution.  I  take  it  for 
granted  that  this  is  not  a  problem  with  manufacturers,  for  they 
all  desire  to  produce  uniform  products ;  none  can  afford  to  sanction 
intentional  sophistication,  but,  upon  the  contrary,  all  aim  to 
preserve  their  commercial  standing  and  uphold  the  integrity  of  the 
profession.  The  variation  in  the  commercial  specimens  that  have 
come  under  my  observation  is  certainly  not  the  result  of  intentional 
mismanagement,  and  I  have  met  with  no  evidence  of  cheaper 
alkaloids  having  been  substituted  for  those  less  expensive. 
Prof.  Hallberg,  at  the  Indianapolis  meeting  of  the  Indiana  Pharm- 
aceutical Association,  stated,  quite  correctly,  that  an  assay  of  Nux 
Vomica,  to  be  complete,  should  give  the  relative  proportion  of  each 
alkaloid.  To  this  all  will  agree,  but,  at  present,  it  seems  that  all 
we  can  hope  to  accomplish  will  have  been  obtained  if  a  standard 
for  the  mixed  natural  alkaloids  be  established.  In  this  the  pro- 
portion will  not,  as  a  rule,  vary  greatly  from  equal  amounts  of 
strychnine  and  brucine.  In  this  connection,  I  can  say  that  one 
specimen  of  fluid  extract  in  the  following  list  was  valued  by  the 
manufacturer,  to  (i)  extractive  matter,  (2)  mixed  natural  alkaloids, 
(3)  strychnine,  and  (4)  brucine ;  thus  showing  that  to  one  maker,  at 
least,  it  would  not  be  burdensome  now  to  attempt  closer  valuation. 
Prof.  Norton  remarked,  concerning  the  general  method  announced 
by  me  a  year  ago,  as  investigated  by  himself,  that  "  it  is  probable 
that  more  extended  experiment  will  lead  to  modifications  restrict- 
ing still  further  the  range  of  variation,  as  well  as  extending  the 
range  of  application."  It  remains  to  be  seen  if  this  paper  furthers 
the  prediction  in  any  way  other  than  supporting  the  fact  stated  in 
his  paper,  that,  regardless  of  the  method  employed,  increase  in 
weight  may  be  expected  with  chloroformic  residues  of  brucine. 
In  the  preceding  paper  on  this  subject  (see  Am.  Druggist,  May 
15),  tests  concerning  the  absolute  abstraction  of  the  magmas  from 
fluid  extract  of  guarana  were  neglected.  Caffeine  being  so  nearly 
tasteless  in  small  amounts  and  so  indifferent  to  alkaloidal  reagents 
will  not  respond  to  tests  with  the  readiness  of  most  other  alkaloids 
and  is  difficult  to  establish  exactly,  when  in  minute  amounts.  Per- 
haps  the  best  method  is  to  crystallize  and  weigh  it,  which  is 
impractical  with  traces. 
I  have  noticed  in  attempts  that  are  made  occasionally  to  compare 
different  assay  methods,  that  the  opinion  seems  to  prevail  that  the 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
July.  1892. 
