86 APPENDIX, 
identitying aconitine, The alkaloid may be readily recovered from 
them in a pure state, 
Aconitine is not appreciably affected by heating at a temperature 
below its melting point, but at this temperature it is gradually con— 
verted into the uncrystallizable base aconine, Prolonged boiling in 
aqueous solution induces a similar change, but not to the same 
extent, unless an alkali is present. Boiling with water acidulated 
with hydrochloric acid also produces decomposition of the alkaloid. 
Dehydraconitine or apoaconitine is a base differing from aconitine 
by the absence of a molecular proportion of water, which was first 
obtained by Wright and Luff by acting on aconitine with acids. Its 
existence has, however, been questioned by later workers. The 
authors find that such a substance may be readily procured by 
heating aconitine with saturated aqueous tartaric acid in closed 
tubes, as recommended by Wright and Luff, The crystals of this 
substance melt at 186°5° (corr.). It forms crystalline salts, and in 
other respects closely resembles the parent alkaloid. The results 
of analyses agree well withthe formula CeENON, Three. auro- 
chlorides were obtained.. One (C*H**NO™HAnCI*) melts at 141° 
(corr.). This salt, when crystallized from aqueous alcohol, becomes 
a hydrate— 
(C*H*NO™HAuCl*H?0), 
melting at 129° (corr.), isomeric with aconitine aurochloride, into 
which, indeed, it very readily changes. The third aurochloride is 
a direct compound of the alkaloid with auric chloride (C™H“NO™ 
AuCl’) ; it melts at 147-5° (corr.). 
An amorphous base was obtained from aconitine, together with 
benzoic acid, by prolonged heating with water in a closed tube. Tt 
appears to be identical with the aconine of Wright and Luff. The 
same substance is formed together with a resinous substance when 
aconitine is heated with an alkali. Neither aconine nor its salts 
could be crystallized. The amorphous base, after purification, and 
its amorphous aurochloride, afforded analytical data agreeing 
respectively with the formule C*°H*'NO" and C**H**NOMHAnCH. 
The Alkaloids of True Aconitum Napellus. 
Professor Dunstan and Mr. John ©. Umney have examined 
the alkaloids of true Aconitum Napellus plants grown by Mr. E. M. 
Holmes, at the instance of the British Pharmaceutical Feioetorence 
