426 BRITISH PHARMACEUTICAL CONFERENCE, EXETER. 



1869. There is found in fact, in dried valerian a comparatively large 

 amount of ready-formed valerianic acid, the presence of which 

 is evidenced by the strong smell of the drug, while the fresh 

 root is devoid of odour and contains no resin. 



Fresh plants. The author further observes, that it is always advantageous 

 in the preparation of alkaloids and other active principles to 

 employ the fresh plants, and as far as possible to conduct the 

 operations thereto belonging at a low temperature. Alkaloids 

 are thereby obtained in a condition more favourable to crystalli- 

 zation ; the loss, often considerable, resulting from decolorizing 

 by charcoal is avoided, and recourse to chemical reagents for 

 their isolation, or rather to free them from the products of their 

 own alteration, is dispensed with. 



As to the drying of medicinal herbs, the author remarks that 

 the oxidising influence of the air being the principal cause of 

 deterioration, it is desirable that the operation should be per- 

 formed as rapidly as possible and that the herb should be com- 

 pressed into a compact mass, after the manner pursued by the 

 American herb-dryers. 



The Pharmaceutical Journal for last September contained a 

 Aconitine. warning regarding the purity of aconitine, which has not 

 received all the attention in this country that it seems to 

 deserve. It was to this effect, that English aconitine, or at all 

 events a sample received from London as such by Mr. Merck, 

 of Darmstadt, was found to possess chemical and physical 

 characters very different from those recognized as proper to true 

 aconitine. It was but slightly soluble in ether, and much less 

 soluble in alcohol than pure aconitine, and dissolved with diffi- 

 culty in chloroform. In boiling water it did not become soft 

 and plastic but remained pulverulent ; from boiling alcohol it 

 could be readily crystallized. Notices contrasting so-called 

 English and German aconitine have appeared in many of the 

 Continental journals ; and it seems to be accepted as a settled 

 fact that in England aconitine signifies something very different 

 from what it does abroad. But so far as I have observed, 

 this assumption is far too sweeping : at least I have found that 

 aconitine in my possession manufactured in London by houses 



