APPENDIX, ) 173 
- An interesting paper on the origin of Benzoin by Fritz Ludy 
appeared in Archiv de Pharmacie, 231-48, an abstract of which is 
contained in the Pharm, Journ,, April 29, 1893. 
APOCYNACEZ. 
Rauwolfia serpentina, Benth, 
Note on certain reactions of an alkaloid contained in the Toots, 
Tn the Pharmacogrophia Indica, Vol. II., p. 416, one of us described 
This communication deals chiefly with the colour reactions of an 
alkaloid which we have separated from the roots, and provisionally 
termed pseudobrucine. 
The isolation of the alkaloid ina pure condition was attended with 
difficulty. In our first experiments, the pounded root was exhausted 
with boiling 80 per cent. alcohol, and the alcohol free extract treated 
with cold water acidulated with sulphuric acid, by which a large 
amount of dark resinous matter was separated. The aqueous acid 
solution was then precipitated with Mayer’s reagent, but the preci- 
pitate on decomposition did not yield the alkaloid in a pure condition, 
owing to a certain amount of resinous matter being precipitated 
with the alkaloid by the reagent, and which was subsequently 
dissolved by the amylic aleohol employed to separate the alkaloid 
after its liberation from the mercury compound, Attempts were 
made to separate dissolved resinous matter from the aqueous acid 
solution of the alkaloid by agitation with amylice alcohol, but the 
sulphate of the alkaloid was freely soluble in this alcohol. In ether 
the alkaloid was only very slightly soluble, Ultimately, the pounded 
root was percolated with chloroform, the chloroform evaporated off, 
and the extract treated with water acidulated with sulphuric acid, 
The acid aqueous a of the coterie was — ee — 
chloroform, which 
loid. The ‘ehitobetoii was then separated “and the said solution inaife 
alkaline with sodic carbonate and reagitated with chloroform ; this 
series of operations being repeated several times, The final chloro- 
form extract was dried and agitated with ether, which removed traces 
of colouring matter. The extract now formed a cinnamon-coloured 
powder, extremely bitter, soluble in dilute acids, and dissolving 
