August 10, 1900.] 



SCIENCE. 



233 



Tschirch holds that the emodin of aloes and 

 frangula are isomeric aud that they can be dis- 

 tinguished by certain color reactions as well as 

 by other tests as shown by the investigations 

 of Oesterle. Tschirch further holds that all 

 methylanthraquinone derivatives, containing 

 one or more oxy-groups, are purgative. The 

 emodins, being tri-osy-compounds, seem to be 

 the most active. It is suggested that these 

 oxy-derivatives of methylanthraquinone will 

 eventually replace the drugs as aloes, rhubarb, 

 etc., which contain them. 



According to H. A. D. Jowett the following 

 alkaloids are pi-esent in Jaborandi : pilocarpine, 

 iso-pilocarpine (pilocarpidine of Petit and Pol- 

 onowski), pilocarpidine (Harnack and Merck). 

 Jaborine does not appear to be present in ja- 

 borine leaves and the commercial jaborine is 

 said to be a mixture of these three alkaloids. 

 The alkaloid in Mandragora root is, according 

 to Wentzel, hyoscine (CjjHjgNOg). In an in- 

 vestigation of the constituents of the wall-flower 

 of the gardens, Eeeb has Isolated a principle 

 (cheiranthin) resembling digitalis in its physio- 

 logical action and has found in the seeds an 

 alkaloid (cheirinine) which resembles quinine 

 in its properties. The active principle in Cap- 

 sicum has been further investigated by Micko, 

 who insists that it is odorless and that the 

 vanilla-like odor ascribed to it by Morbitz is 

 due to the action of reagents employed. An 

 emetic principle has been isolated by Herberger 

 from melon root and other Cucurbitaceae. The 

 toxic effects of tobacco is ascribed by Thorns 

 to a phenol-like body resembling creosote. A 

 new oily alkaloid (CgHjgNO), which is miscible 

 with water, has been isolated by A. Piccinni 

 from pomegranate bark. The daturine in the 

 seeds of Datura stramonium L. is considered by 

 J. Thomann to be in the nature of a reserve 

 product. The flowers of Datura alba contain 

 hyoscine which Hesse says may supersede the 

 mixture known as scopolamine salt. Investiga- 

 tions seem to show that there is no caffeine in 

 the leaves of any species of Psathura (N. O. 

 Rubiaceae). 



Pommerhue has succeeded in making a num- 

 ber of crystalline compounds of the alkaloid, 

 damascenin, extracted by Schneider from Ni- 

 gella damascena. It has been found by H. 



Meyer that anemonin forms compounds of the 

 maleic and fumaric types. According to 

 Hausman, aspidin is found in Aspidium spinu- 

 losum, whereas filicic acid is pi'esent in Aspidium 

 filix-mas and Athyrium filix famina. A crys- 

 talline non-glucosidal principle (gossypol) ob- 

 obtained from cotton seeds has been examined 

 by Marchlewski. The bitter principle of 

 Plumiera lancifoUa, investigated by Boorsma 

 and Merck with discordant results, is shown by 

 Franchimont to vary in its M. P., according to 

 the amount of water of crystallization that it 

 possesses. According to Leger, nataloin and 

 homonataloin give a green coloration with sul- 

 phuric acid and manganese dioxide or potas- 

 sium di-chromate ; and a violet color with a solu- 

 tion of soda containing ammonium persulphate. 

 The investigations of Busse seem to indicate 

 that in the unripe vanilla fruit there exists a 

 glucoside, which on treatment with ferments 

 (emulsin) or mineral acids, yields vanillin. 

 The arrow poison of Wakamba (German East 

 Africa) appears to be a glucoside and resembles 

 Arnaud's ouabain. According to the investiga- 

 tions of Hilger, while the coloring principle of 

 saffron is a glucoside, the glucoside, picrocrocin 

 (or saffron bitter) is really a mixture of color- 

 ing principles, one of which resembles carotin. 

 Malabar kino has been shown by David Hooper 

 to possess in dry substance over 90 per cent, of 

 tannin. Hymeneo couharil contains 23.8 per 

 cent, catechutannic acid and 2.7 per cent, of 

 catechin. A. G. Perkin has been continuing 

 his studies on the tannin and allied coloring 

 principles of a number of plants. A yellow 

 coloring principle has been isolated by Adrian 

 and Trillat from the digitalin obtained from 

 Digitalis lutea. The authors believe it to be 

 different from the digito-flavone of Fleischer. 

 The green and red pigments of Amanita mus- 

 caria have been subjected to a chemical exami- 

 nation by A. B. Griflaths. A. Nestler believes 

 that the change in color in the ripening of Juni- 

 per berries is due to a fungus. The investigations 

 of Charabot on the formation of lavender oil 

 seems to indicate that the oil contained in the 

 flower buds and mature flowers is richer in 

 esters ; whereas in the withered flowers it is the 

 alcohols which preponderate. According to G. 

 Spampani, the oil in olive is produced in the 



