764 NOTE ON THE OCCURRENCE OF STRYCHNICINE. 



alkaloids. Fractional crystallisation of the platinum salts gave two 

 different compounds containing different amounts of Pt. ; the mole- 

 cular difference represented CH 2 , and the author distinguished the 

 new compound by the prefix "homo." Hooper (Pharm. Journ. xxi., 

 1890, 493) in his investigation of the constituents of the leaves of 

 S. nux-vomica, found that potassium ferrocyanide gave only a 

 small precipitate, but that this did not possess the properties of 

 strychnine; it did not give the sulphuric-bichromate reaction. 



Summary. — The alkaloid discovered by van Boorsma in 1902, 

 in the leaves of Strychnos nux-vomica, and named by him, strych- 

 nicine, is identified in the leaves of the Australian endemic species, 

 Strychnos psilosperma. This strychnicine is found in the mother- 

 liquor, after separating strychnine and brucine by sodium 

 hydroxide and crystallisation. It is only partially precipitated by 

 ferrocyanide, on long standing at a low temperature. It is recog- 

 nised by its giving all the general alkaloid reactions, by giving a 

 negative result for strychnine with sulphuric and bichromate, and 

 a negative brucine result with nitric acid. Its solubility in sodium 

 hydroxide, and its colour-reaction with barium or sodium 

 hydroxide and hydrochloric acid are characteristic. 



I am indebted to Mr. F. Turner, F.L.S., for the supply of 

 material, which was sent to him by Dr. Bancroft, from North 

 Queensland, and to both I take this opportunity of expressing my 

 thanks. I have also to thank Professor Anderson Stuart for 

 laboratory accommodation and facilities. 



