336 MELIACE. 
from the principal cinchona alkaloids by its optical inactivity. 
Hooper proposes to call the alkaloid Naregamine. ‘The fixed 
oil was soluble in strong spirit, also in dilute caustic soda with 
a brown and red fluorescent solution. The waa was insoluble 
in spirit; it was coloured brown and afterwards black by 
sulphuric acid. - The alcoholic extract consisted mainly of 
sugar with some little resinous matter. No tannic substances 
were detected, but a body precipitable by neutral plumbic 
acetate, related to an organic acid. The aqueous extract 
evaporated to a small bulk, and treated with two volumes of 
alcohol, gave a precipitate of gum. The filtrate from this 
evaporated and treated with four volumes of alcohol, caused. a 
precipitate which after standing some hours separated out into 
“large colourless rhombic prisms, probably asparagin. Among 
the less important constituents of Naregamia are albuminous, 
pectinous, and colouring matters, starch, cellulose, woody fibre 
and ash. The starch is in minute rounded granules of about 
the same size as rice-starch. ‘The ash is of a reddish colour, 
and ten percent. of it is insoluble in hydrochloric acid. The 
following is the result of the analysis: Ether extract 2°93, 
alcoholic extract 5°40, aqueous extract 7:00, albuminous 
matter, &c., 7°61, starch and cellulose 17°66, woody fibre 
4°77, ash 5°52, moisture 9°11—+total 100-00. 
Commerce.—The drug is collected and supplied by Messrs. 
Hinde and Co., Calicut. 
SOYMIDA FEBRIFUGA, Juss. 
_ -Fig.—Bentl. § Trim., t. 63, Redwood tree. (Eing.). 
Hab.—N. W., Central and 8. India, Ceylon. The bark. 
-Vernacular.—Rohan or Rohan (Hind., Beng.), Shemmaram 
Tam.), Cheve-manu, Somida-manu ( Tel.). 
History, Uses, &c.—The astringent and febrifuge 
_ properties of this bark are known to both Hindus and Maho- — 
_ ametans, and notices of it are tobe found in some of their books — 
ee on Materia Medica under the name of Rohan. 
