Am.  jour,  pharm.  i     State  Pharmaceutical  Associations. 
November,  1909.  J 
537 
continued  by  dropping  the  acid  from  a  fine  pipette  and  stirring  the 
solution.  Where  large  amounts  of  saccharin  were  present  the 
violet  color  could  be  seen  at  the  point  of  neutrality;  in  small  quan- 
tities this  point  is  frequently  missed,  but  a  careful  back  titration 
with  a  very  dilute  alkaline  solution  (very  dilute  ammonia,  1-20) 
generally  indicated  its  presence. 
In  case  of  negative  results  or  where  further  verification  is 
necessary,  the  solution  may  be  acidulated,  and  extracted  in  a 
separatory  funnel  with  10  c.c.  of  ether,  washed,  concentrated,  and 
tested  in  the  usual  manner. 
The  author  claims  that  at  least  four  milligrammes  of  saccharin 
in  a  litre  can  be  detected  with  certainty  in  50  c.c.  of  a  solution  sub- 
jected to  this  method  of  analysis. — Pa.  Pharm.  Assoc. 
Detection  of  Bombay  Mace. 
By  James  W.  Gladhill. 
Bombay  mace  is  the  dried  arillus  of  Myristica  malabarica 
Lamarck.  It  is  from  2.5  to  5  cm.  in  length  and  of  varying  width, 
more  or  less  pointed  at  the  apex,  coloring  from  light  to  dark  red, 
and  of  a  waxy  appearance.  The  odor  of  volatile  oil  of  mace  is 
absent.  Prior  to  the  enactment  of  the  Food  and  Drugs  Act,  most 
manufacturers  used  it  extensively  to  cheapen  their  products.  At 
the  present  time  some  of  the  smaller  concerns  are  using  it  in 
reduced  quantities. 
The  author  gives  a  method  which  he  claims  is  the  quickest  and 
surest  way  of  detecting  Bombay  mace  when  it  is  mixed  with  other 
mace.  An  alcoholic  extract  of  the  suspected  material  is  made  by 
macerating  1  Gm.  of  the  substance  in  10  c.c.  of  alcohol  for  two 
hours  and  filtering. 
Five  c.c.  of  solution  of  chlorinated  soda  is  poured  into  a  test- 
tube  and  2  or  3  c.c.  of  the  alcoholic  extract  carefully  allowed  to  run 
down  the  inside  of  the  tube ;  if  Bombay  mace  is  present,  a  bright 
red  color  will  appear  at  the  point  of  contact.  The  color  does  not 
remain  long,  especially  when  the  amount  of  adulterant  is  less  than 
5  per  cent. ;  when  less  than  1  per  cent,  it  disappears  very  rapidly. 
The  author  states  that  by  this  method  as  little  as  one-fiftieth  of 
1  per  cent,  of  Bombay  mace  can  be  detected. — Pa.  Pharm.  Assoc. 
