Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
July,  1892. 
Assay  of  Nux  Vomica. 
347 
First    rotation,  10  cc.  of  chloroform,  o'io7 
Second       "  "  "   0-005 
First    rotation,  10  cc.  of  chloroform,   .  0*106 
Second       "  "  "   00045 
0*1105 
Average  of  4  experiments,  .  0*1128  gm. 
"       calculated  from  12  direct  residues  (Tables  VIII 
and  IX),  0*1128  gm. 
The  aqueous  liquid  from  each  experiment  was  acidulated  with 
H2S04.  It  was  neither  bitter  to  the  taste  nor  capable  of  reacting 
with  Mayer's  solution,  showing  that  it  had  been  completely 
abstracted  and  that  further  rotations  were  unnecessary.1 
These  alkaloidal  residues  were  perfectly  soluble  in  both  chloro- 
form and  diluted  sulphuric  acid,  and  could  have  contained  but 
traces  of  impurity. 
Summary. — The  result  of. these  experiments  demonstrates: 
(1)  That  chloroform  rotations  will  completely  abstract  strychnine 
and  brucine  from  alkaline  aqueous  solution. 
(2)  That  the  first  rotation  of  10  cc.  yields  a  residue  heavier  than 
the  original  total  dry  alkaloid. 
(3)  That  a  third  rotation  is  unnecessary,  for  the  alkaloid  is  all 
abstracted  by  two  treatments.2 
PART  FOURTH. 
STANDARD  OF  ALKALOIDAL  VALUE  FOR  FLUID  EXTRACT  OF  NUX 
VOMICA. 
(7)  Will  this  Method  abstract  all  the  Natural  Alkaloid  from 
Fluid  Extract  of  Nux  Vomica? — While  it  is  true  that  chloroform 
1  At  the  New  Orleans  meeting  of  the  A.  P.  A  ,  Prof.  Patch  alluded  to  the 
fact  that  the  chloroform  adhering  to  the  exit  of  a  separating  funnel  accounted 
for  much  of  the  loss  in  some  cases.  This  I  have  verified  more  than  once.  In 
fact,  the  larger  share  of  an  alkaloid  is  usually  abstracted  in  the  first  chloro- 
form, if  it  be  drawn  close  to  the  water  line. 
2  These  averages  are  higher  than  those  of  Prof.  Norton  and  Mr.  Nichols, 
who,  however,  evaporated  their  solutions  rapidly  in  shallow  dishes.  My 
recoveries  were  made  in  platinum  dishes,  by  drying  room  exposure,  without 
ebullition.  I  hold  myself  entirely  responsible  for  their  variations,  as  they 
were  obtained  according  to  my  former  process,  in  which  I  commended  shallow 
dishes.    I  alone  am  to  blame. 
