12 ; RANUNCULACE. a ] 
reactions and in a Sige of physiological effect they were 
capable of producing; lycoctonine was less active. He algal 
pointed ont the fact that the presence of these two alkaloid 
was an insufficient explanation of the powerful toxic actio 
which the root of A. Lycoctonwm possessed, and thus threw a 
‘In all these physiological experiments, as well as others 
Schroff, sen., Buchheim, Eisenmenger, and Ott, the identi 
of napelline with acolyctine has been assumed.: no trial was 
made with aculyctine prepared from A. Lycoctonum. To throw 
more light upon these matters (see also Chemistry of A. ferow 
Messrs. "Draperdorlt and Spohn( Pharm. Zettsch. fur Russlane 
XXxiii,, 313—384), investigated the roots of A. Lycoctonwm 
collected in Switzerland in ae 1883, 
authors was =, aOR, s modified as follows :— 
Two kilos of the powdered root were mixed with tar é 
acid (successive portions of 10 and 5 grains) and exhaus' 
with strong spirit; for this, three macerations sufficed. 
tincture was concentrated, mixed with water, filtered, 
repéatedly agitated with ether whilst still acid. The 
removed traces of an acid resembling protocatechnic, 
benzoic acid could not be detected. None of.the acid decom. 
position-products of the alkaloids presently to be describ 
‘could be found, a proof that a suitable method of extracti 
had been re 
traces of ataloid could be detected. 
- The ethereal solutions were evaporated to 
alkaloid, in which Hiibschmann’s lycoctonine was ant 
"owas purified by powdering, digesting 1 with ether, evapo! 
; the ethereal — and pe the treatment un 
