340 
Assay  of  Nux  Vomica. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharoi. 
I       July,  1892. 
small  paper  into  a  4  or  8-ounce  globular  separating  funnel.1  Wash 
the  residue  in  the  beaker  twice,  with  diluted  acid  4  cc.  each  time, 
stirring  the  undissolved  fat  with  the  acid  by  means  of  a  glass  rod, 
and  filter  through  the  afore-named  filter  into  the  first  acid  solution 
and  then  wash  the  paper  with  a  little  water. 
(2)  Make  the  mixed  acid  liquids  alkaline  with  ammonia  and  add 
10  cc.  chloroform;  rotate  (not  shake')  a  moment,  then  abstract  the 
underlying  chloroform  into  a  tared  evaporator.  Repeat  the  wash- 
ing with  two  successive  portions  each  of  10  cc.  chloroform,  abstract- 
ing them  into  the  vessel  with  the  first  portion.  Evaporate  the  chlo- 
roform, bring  the  residue  to  constant  weight  in  a  drying  room,  and 
multiply  its  weight  expressed  in  grams,  by  20.  The  result  will  be 
the  alkaloidal  percentage  of  the  fluid  extract. 
Remarks. — This  alkaloidal  residue  consists  practically  of  about 
equal  amounts  Brucine  and  Strychnine.2 
In  making  a  series  of  comparative  tests,  the  final  glasses  should 
be  kept  together  in  the  desiccator  and  the  weighings  should  be 
made  at  one  time  in  order  that  similar  conditions  may  be  main- 
tained. In  damp  weather  care  must  be  observed  to  weigh  quickly 
or  the  operator  will  be  led  into  error  by  reason  of  the  hygroscopic 
nature  of  the  glass  and  residue. 
EXPERIMENTS  WITH  ALKALOIDS  OF  NUX  VOMICA. 
(1)  Abstraction  of  Brucine  from  Chloroform. — That  some  alka- 
loids fail  to  return  to  original  weights  when  evaporated  from  chloro- 
formic  solution  has  been  shown  by  Prof.  Norton  and  Mr.  Nichols, 
and  occurred  to  the  writer  in  previous  experiences,  and  among  them 
brucine  is  conspicuous.3  To  Prof.  Norton  and  Mr.  Nichols,  how- 
ever, is  due  the  credit  of  calling  public  attention  to  the  remark- 
ably increased  weight  in  brucine,  when  deposited  from  chloroform, 
their  report  being  summarized  as  follows  :4 
1  Upon  application  to  the  author,  a  pamphlet  will  be  mailed  concerning  these 
manipulations. 
2  Owing  to  the  increase  in  weight  of  brucine  after  solution  in  chloroform, 
the  result  is  a  trifle  high  as  compared  with  dry  brucine,  but  about  right  con- 
sidering the  commercial  cn^stals. 
3  See  also  my  pamphlet  contributed  to  the  Cincinnati  Chemical  Society, 
April  15,  1892,  printed  September  1,  1891,  which  will  be  mailed  on  application. 
4  Journ.  Anal,  and  App.  Chem.,  March,  1892,  p.  172. 
