22 



from its spirituous solution. This substance has not yet been sub- 

 mitted to analysis. During the production of the iodo-sulphate of 

 quinidin a certain portion of the alkaloid becomes converted into 

 quinicine, as may be demonstrated by the production of this resin- 

 ous compound from the mother-liquid on the addition of further 

 proportions of iodine. 



Cinchonine and cinchonidin become converted into cinchonicine 

 by similar treatment, and this amorphous uncrystalline alkaloid 

 also forms a resinous iodo-sulphate ; its colour is deep purple-black, 

 and it deposits itself on spontaneous evaporation of the spirit, or on 

 the cooling of a highly concentrated spirituous solution, in small 

 drops, highly tenacious at 100 Fahr., but becoming solid at 60 Fahr. 

 This compound has, in a fine state of division, a beautiful purplish- 

 blue colour, and such a film generally forms around the edge of the 

 vessel in which it is produced. 



Cinchonicine appears to be one of the products during the 

 manufacture of the iodo-sulphate of cinchonidin, but there is a 

 much larger production of it during the formation of the cinchonine 

 salt. 



From the foregoing reactions, the author appears to be justified 

 in asserting that eventually it will be found, when we know more 

 of the rational grouping of the constituent atoms of the vegeto- 

 alkaloids, that the construction of the formula for the cinchonidin 

 of Pasteur will have a much greater similarity to the arrangement 

 of the molecular groups of quinine than of cinchonine. And there 

 is also great probability that the grouping of the atoms of cinchonine 

 and the quinidin of Pasteur will be found to present more points of 

 similarity ; but in each case he sees no reason to doubt the existence 

 of more oxygen in the cases of both quinine and quinidin than there 

 is in cinchonine and cinchonidin. He also ventures to suspect that 

 cinchonicine and quinicine will eventually be found to contain more 

 carbon than the original alkaloid, the elements of water probably being 

 separated by the sulphuric acid during the process of formation. 



