SUBSTANCES REPUTED MEDICINAL. 153 
effects a yellowish solution. Alsfonzn differs from dtamine 
chiefly by its behaviour towards concentrated acids, and by its 
fluorescence, which has not been recorded of the other alkaloid. 
The correctness of the above results has been disputed by 
Hesse, who expressed the opinion that the supposed alkaloid was 
a mixture of chlorogenine and porphyrine. (Ber. d. Deutsch. 
Chem. Gessells, 1878, p. 2175.) 
_ In June, 1879, Oberlin and Schlagdenhauffen* announced 
the isolation of two alkaloids from this bark, a crystallizable and 
an amorphous one. They found the bark to be soluble in ether 
to the extent of 1.038 per cent., and to this ethereal extract their 
attention was confined. In Pharm. Fourn. [3], ix., 1059, is an 
abstract of their paper, and an account is given not only of the 
method of preparing these alkaloids, but also of their physical and 
chemical properties. The crystalline alkaloid occurring in silky 
tufts of brilliant, colourless, isolated, or stellate crystals, is styled 
alstoninet+, while an amorphous nitrogenous residue, possessing 
alkaloid properties, obtained by spontaneous evaporation from the 
mother liquor which yielded a/stonine, is provisionally termed 
alstonicine. 
In 1881 an exhaustive research on this bark was contributed 
by Hesse to the Annalen der Chemie, ccv., 360, of which a careful 
abstract appears in the Pharm. Fourn. [3] xi., 775. Palm’s 
alstonin (notwithstanding the alleged absence of nitrogen) was 
shown by Hesse to consist essentially of an alkaloid which he had 
obtained from the bark and called chlorogenine. But as Palm’s 
name had priority, Hesse called the alkaloid a/s/onzne. But unfor- 
tunate confusion has arisen in Mueller and Rummel and Oberlin 
and Schlagdenhauffen (vide supra) also having given so descrip- 
tive aname to substances of different composition. The abstract 
above referred to gives a very lucid account of the overlapping of 
various researches, and shows how the different products obtained 
by different observers may be reconciled. After this necessary 
preliminary statement, Hesse gives a full account of the prepara- 
tion and properties of the alkaloids found by him. They are :— 
* Fournal de Pharmacie et de Chimie. + Probably Hesse’s porphyrine. 
