Chelidonimn majus : all of these plants belong to the same family of 

 Papaveracece. In connection with this subject we read in a recent 

 number of the Therajjeutic Gazette that Dr, Eugel has lately made 

 some experiments on cold-blooded animals (frogs) and warm-blooded 

 animals (guinea-pigs, cats, and rabbits), with the view of determin- 

 ing the physiological j)roperties of this new base protopine. The 

 results obtained may be briefly summarised as follows: — (1) In 

 small doses pi-otopiue exercises on the frog narcotic effects similar to 

 those produced by other opium alkaloids, (2) In large doses it 

 produces a paralysing action on the muscular substance, and on the 

 t^^1!lnal ramifications of the peripheral nerves. (3) With small 

 or moderate doses reflex action is not abolished, although this occurs 

 when larger doses are given. (4) Protopine produces toxic effects 



■ 



in mammals, and these effects are comparable to those produced by 

 camphor, death resulting from the paralysis of the respiratoiy centre. 

 This last conclusion is very interesting. It is singular that camphor, 

 which has not the chemical constitution of the alkaloids, and belongs 

 to an entirely different group of bodies, should have been found to 

 produce the same toxic effects as are obtained with new base proto- 

 pine. The knowledge of this fact will cause camphor to be pre- 

 scribed with more care than formerly, and it will probably lead to 

 nmre useful applications of it, and to its employment in a number of 

 cases for which it is not yet used. Protopine has not yet been 

 introduced into therapeutics^ and from the above experiments it is 

 evident Ave must know more about it before it can find its place in 



pharmacy. 



Tritopine— a new Opium Base- 



M, Kander ( 



new opium alkaloid, Tritopine, which occurs iu smaller qnafititj than 

 even protopine, and to which he assigns the formula C*'H**N^O'. 

 Like morphine and laudanine it is soluble in soda solution, but 

 is reprecipitated in an oily condition by excess of the reagent. Its 

 melting point, 182° C, is, however, 16° higher than that of lauda- 



lour 



towards sulphuric acid. Tritopine crystallizes without water of 

 crystallization in characteristic transparent needle -like plates, 

 and appears to be a di-acid base. {Fharm. Journ. [3], 

 xxi., 247,) 



