SCIENCE-GOSS//'. 



S3 



(or jKiytinc), iKiracinc, pituyiiic, cu!>cuninc, aricine 

 and cincliovatinc, this latter being said by some 

 authorities to be iilentical with cinclionidine. The 

 I'liiupnsition, chararlers ami meiliiinal action of 

 most of these are, however, not definitely known, 

 ami they are of no commercial importance. Al- 

 tliough as previously staled the value of this bark 

 was known in 1638, it was not until 1810 that 

 attempts were made to determine its active prin- 

 ciple. In thai year f'lomez (or Gomes), a Portu- 

 guese, obtained a niixUire of alkaloids which he 

 named Cinchonino, and this was shortly after- 

 wards shown to consist of quinine ami cinchoninc. 

 A few years later i]uinidjne and cinclionidine were 

 discovered. Although ilillering in many respects, 

 (juinine and i|iiinidine have the like chemical 

 composition, whilst in the same way cinchonine 

 and cinchonidine are identical. The e.xact detail 

 of the manuf.ature of these alkaloids on a com- 

 mercial scale is kept a profound secret. 



The alkaloiils appear to exist in the bark in 

 combination with kinic (or quinic) and quinotan- 

 nic (or cinchotannii) actds. This latter by atmo- 

 spheric oxidation is converted into cinchona red or 

 cinchiifuloic acid, a colouring matter which is con- 

 tained in some species of red bark to the extent of 

 10 p«r cent. Quinovic acid, which is a constituent 

 of the rhizome of I'oleiililla toriiieiitclla, has also 

 been found in Peruvian bark, together with an 

 amorphous bitter principle, quinovin. These two 

 substances are staled to have tonic properties, 

 whilst kinic acid is practically inert. The ash 

 yielded by cinchona bark does not exceed 3 per 

 cent. 



An acid solution of sulphate of quinine, or sul- 

 phate of quinidine, has the property of being 

 fluorescent. A very delicate test for these alkaloids 

 is the green precipitate or coloration obtained by 

 adding to either of their solutions of bromide, or 

 chlorine, water and ammonia. By this means one 

 part in 200,000 is readily detected. This is known 

 as the Thalleioquin test. The bitter taste of 

 quinine is also appreciable in very dilute solutions. 



The chief value of this bark and its alkaloids is 

 as an antiperiodic, especially in intermittent fevers ; 

 the bark is also largely used as a tonic, but the 

 inconvenient bulk and uncertainly of composition, 

 except in standanl preparations, remlers it a far 

 less eligible form of medicine than the alkaloids 

 themselves, although the other constituents of the 

 bark, espucially the cinchotaftnic aciil ami cin- 

 chona red appear to have a slightly dillerent medi- 

 cinal action. (,)uiniilinc has been shown lo be the 

 most active alkaloid, but being yieldeil in any 

 quantity by only a few species, it is not in general 

 demand. .\s it has been conclusively shown that 

 cinchonine and cinchonidine have a similar action 

 to quinine, but lo a lesser degree, it is a regrettable 

 waste that only small quantities are used in this 

 countrv. For medicinal preparations of the bark 

 the present pharmacopoeia directs that only culti- 

 vated red bark n)ay be used, that must contain 

 from live to six per cent, of total alkaloids, of 

 which not less than half shall consist of quinine 

 and cinchonidine. Besides the sulphates above 

 mentioned, hydrochlorates, valerianates, tartrates, 

 citrates, phosphates, tannates, bromides and 

 iodides, are in more or less frequent demand as 

 remedial agents. 



Imporlatiim of spurious cinchonas is now very 

 rare, but the substitution of inferior for good varie- 

 ties is frequently noticed. To determine their true 

 value with certainly, chemical analysis must be re- 

 sorted to, the percentage of quinine being the only 

 criterion of value. There is, however, one so- 

 called spurious bark, Uemijia pedunculata, 

 known as cuprea or copper coloured bark, which 

 actually yields quinine, and this is very valuable 

 to the manufacturer of that alkaloid. It contains 

 in addition cinchonine, cupreine, and homoquinine, 

 or ullraquinine, the two latter being without any 

 medicinal value. Another variety of cuprea bark, 

 Rtinijia purdiana, is the source of cinchona- 

 mine, and it also contains cinchonine. 

 Curznii Terrace, Leicester. 



COLLECTION AND PREPARATION OF FORAMIXIFKRA. 



Bv Arthur Eari.and. 



(Cmtmucd /'■ 



Prktaration. 

 ""P 1 IK cleaning and prc|)aration of the foraminifcrous 

 ■*■ material may be deferred for any lengtli ol time, 

 provided it h.-vs been thoroughly dried hcfurc being 

 IKicUed away. Unless this is done, the presence of 

 so much organic mallet will fiivour the growth of 

 fungoid mycelium, which not only entails much 

 additional labour in the cleaning process, but 

 also destroys that glassy transparency which is the 

 great charm of the hyaline foraminifera. The most 

 extreme care will, however, sometimes fail to 

 prevent the growth of mycelium in uncleaned 

 material, and gatherings sent from abroad frequently 

 reach this coiintry wilh the particles matted together 



■Olll /ngc q.) 



with the fungi lid threads. I have successfully cleaned 

 such gatherings by boiling in a strong solution of 

 washing scjda, which dissolves the mycelium. After 

 washing away all trace of the soda, the material 

 should be thoroughly dried, and if considered 

 necessary, it may be ahsohitely sterilised by covering 

 the sand for a few hours with melhylated spirit. It is, 

 however, nuich the best lo clean the material as soon 

 as possible after collection, thereby lessening its bulk 

 ami obviating any risk of loss from mould. The 

 apparatus required for the purpose is simple and 

 inexpensive, and much of it may be improvised if 

 nccess:ir\'. 



I will, with assistance of a few figvires, describe 



