CONIFERS. S77 



Joiirn,^ [3], vii.j 894), Marme described a crystalline alkaloid 

 that lie had separated from the leaves and fniit, which he 

 named *^'/a,rm^/' and spoke of as being poisonous. It was 

 obtained by treating an ethereal extract of the leaves and 

 fruit with water acidulated with sulphuric acid and precipitat- 

 ing this solution with ammonia. Messrs. Hilger and Brando 

 report [Berichte, xxiii., 464) that, working on the leaves in the 

 same way, they have separated an alkaloid, which they failed 

 to crystallize. This taxine melted at 82^ C, and when heated 

 in a glass tube gave off white fumes that condensed on the 

 colder parts of the tube to oil-like drops that solidified on 

 cooling, at the same time a characteristic aromatic odour was 

 evolved. It dissolved in water in traces only, freely in alcohol 

 and ether, with moi-e difficulty in chloroform, and was insoluble 

 in benzol. It was coloured intense purple-red by concentrated 

 sulphuric acid and intense red-violet by Frohde's reagent, and 

 gave yellowish precipitates with the ordinary alkaloidal 

 reagents, aud white precipitates, insoluble in excess, with 

 the fixed alkalies and ammonia. The salts of taxine are 

 mostly readily soluble in water, but only the hydrochloride 

 was obtained well crystallized, and this by passing a current 

 of hydrochloric acid gas into a solution of the alkaloid in 

 anhydrous ether. Analysis of taxine gave results correspond- 

 ing with the formula C^'H^^O^'^N, and its behaviour with ethyl 

 iodide indicated that it is a nitrile base. The authors do not 

 seem to have occupied themselves with the physiological action 

 of taxine. [Vharm, Journ.y Mar. 29, 1890.) 



F 



Tosoicology, — No cases of poisoning by this plant have been 

 recorded in India, but considering its common use as a drug 

 throughout the country, we cannot help suspecting that such 

 accidents must have happened, especially as the native doctors 

 do not appear to be aware of its poisonous properties. Several 

 cases of poisoning by yew have occurred in England, most of 

 which have ended fatally. The' prominent symptoms were 

 vomiting followed by narcotism, with, in some cases, convulsions 

 and dilated pupils, respiration slowed; death usually hy 

 asphyxia, due to paralysis of the respiratorv muscles, 



111.-48 



