Scientific Intelligence, ^c. 69 



ARTICLE XII. 

 SCIENTIFIC Intelligence, &c. 

 I . — Pharmacy. 



1. Peucedanin. — Schlatter has obtained this substance from the 

 root of the Peucedanwn officinale. It is prepared by digesting the 

 root in alcohol of 80 per cent ; distilling and allowing the residue to 

 stand. The mother liquor is then poured from the crystals, and the 

 latter washed with cold spirits ; it is then allowed to crystallize from 

 its solution in alcohol in which it is dissolved at a boiling tempera- 

 ture. The crystals are colourless, transparent fine needles, destitute 

 of taste and smell, but when dissolved in alcohol the taste is aromatic 

 and sharp. They melt at 140° without losing weight. By increas- 

 ing the heat they become green, and then grayish white. They are 

 insoluble in cold water, and melt in boiling water without dissolving. 

 They are little soluble in cold alcohol of 80 per cent., but easily 

 soluble at the temperature of 140''. The solution is precipitated by 

 water. Soluble in fat and volatile oils ; decomposed by concentrated 

 acids ; not dissolved by dilute acids. Peucedanin is soluble in alka- 

 lies from which it is precipitated by acids. Assisted by heat it dis- 

 solves in carbonate of potash and ammonia, from which it crystallizes 

 on cooling. Its solution in alcohol is precipitated by bin-acetate of 

 lead, chloride of tin and sulphate of copper, but not by sulphate of 

 'n'on.—{Ann. der PJiarm. I. 201. Jakresbericht, 1835.) 



2. Cusparin. It has been ascertained by Saladin that when at 

 a common temperature, the infusion of the b;)rk of the Angustura 

 vera, is treated with absolute alcohol, and set aside to evaporate, at 

 16° crystals separate, which are cusparin. It is quite neutral, its 

 crystals appear to be tetrahedral. It melts at a low temperature 

 with a loss of 23'09 per cent, of weight ; cold water dissolves a half, 

 and boiling water 1 per cent. It is dissolved by absolute acid, and 

 by alkalies, and precipitated by infusion of sails. — (Jahresbericht, 

 1835, 323.) 



3. Cubehin. Monheim has lately analyzed cubebs. The pow- 

 der was first treated with cold ether, and then with alcohol ; the 

 alcoholic extract treated with water and the residue dissolved in 

 boiling water; on cooling a white substance separated from the 

 solution, and afterwards by spontaneous evaporation another sub- 

 stance which he terms cubebin. It possesses a greenish yellow 

 colour, an acrid and fatty taste ; melts at 68°, boils at 86°, and dis- 

 appears leaving a little charcoal. Cubebin is soluble in acetic acid, 

 alcohol, ether, and almond oil. Not dissolved by oil of turpentine, 

 potash ley, nor sulphuric acid. It is reddened by the action of nitric 

 acid. 



4. Hyoscyamin. Geiger has separated this substance from extract 

 of hyoscyamus, by means of ether and alcohol. It crystallizes in 

 splendent needles, has no smell, but an acrid tobacco like taste, an 

 alkaline re-action and is difficultly soluble in water, but less so than 

 a tropin. It is soluble in alcohol and ether, and affords neutral solu- 

 ble salts. It dilates the pupil like atropin. — {Jahresbericht , 1835^ 

 262). 



