332 APPENDIX. 



The crude alkaloid was veiy faintly yellow, and in no case showed 

 any tendency to crystallization, although attempts were made to 

 induce crystallization by extracting at various temperatures, and 

 without applying heat, and by employing different acids and solvents. 

 The allakoid obtained is, nevertheless, quite similar to cocaine from 

 other sources in its physiological action, except that it seems to be 

 more active. It dissolves readily in hydrochloric acid, and yields a 

 soluble and insoluble platinochloride, the former containing 18-75, 

 the latter 18-88 per cent, of platinum; discrepancies from the 

 theoretical are assumed to be due to a variable quantity of cocamine 

 {He^e, Am. Journ. Pharm., 1887, p. 455) in the alkaloid from Indian 

 leaves. Both platinum salts yielded bases producing marked anfes- 

 thetic effects on the tongue ; Howard has observed that the insoluble 

 platinochloride obtained from other leaves was devoid of this pro- 

 perty (Pharm. Jour?i. and Trans., July 23, 1887> In one instance, 

 stellate crystals of the base from the soluble platinum salt were 

 obtained. Applying Williams' method, the crude alkaloid showed 

 2- 89 per cent, of impurity, but the precipitates were not crystalline. 

 It is noted that after the addition of ether to the acidified alcoholic 

 solution, larger deposits of the sulphur -yellow cocatannic acid were 

 obtained from those samples containing the highest percentages of 

 alkaloids ; it is hence suggested that possibly cocaine exists in the 

 leaves as cocatannate. 



Methods of cultivating the plants arc described : the leaves are first 

 gathered l^ years after transplanting, subsequently whenever they are 

 sufficiently mature ; and, although the method of curing does not 

 appear to affect the quality or quantity of the alkaloid obtained, 

 nevertheless it is best, taking into consideration Paul's experience, to 



ure 



and when dry and cold to pack them closely in air-tight chests, as 

 they are very hygroscopic. The quantity of alkaloid produced 

 increases with the age of the plants (which attain a height of from 

 2 to 6 feet) up to 10 years, and after 20 years a slight falling off is 



observed, although they arc in their prime even when 35 or 40 years 

 old. 



4 



From the above results, obtained from plants and leaves of various 

 ages, it would seem that, in India, neither altitude nor rainfall have 

 much influence on the proportion of alkaloid in the leaves. The ash, 

 la aU cases except one, was white, the exception beinir an ash of a 



