N o. apocynace^:. 789 



given, which checked the periodicity of the fever. Of the 14 cases of ague, 

 8 were in-patients, whose cases were carefully noted ; 6 were out-patients. 

 Of these, it is recorded that they did not come after the first day, perhapc 

 because the fever had declined ; 4 of the patients had enlarged spleen, but no 

 effect in that organ was detected." 



Dr. Chas. Bancroft, Civil Medical Officer, Garo Hills, who used the Tincture, 

 reported it> 



"A valuable remedy in diarrhoea and dysentery : in the latter disease it 

 proved very beneficial in advanced cases, and was found most efficient as a 

 " stomachic " in restoring alimentary tone in convalescence and debility, 

 following malarial fevers." 



"In the form of a mixture only, combined with Tincture of Opium (m. x) in 

 dysentery, and with the Infusion of Gentian in bowel complaints (diarrhoea), 

 and with official bitters (chiretta), orange peel and Nux-Vomica, as an alter- 

 ative and tonic. 



Doses.— In dysentery 3i doses with Tinct. of Opium, m. x made up with 

 Peppermint water, thrice daily. 



In diarrhoea 3 SS close with Spts. Chloroform and Infusion Gentian, every 

 4 hours. 



As alterative tonic 3 i doses, combined with orange peel, Nux-Vomica and 

 Aqua Chloroformi. 



Chemical composition. — In 1875, Jobst and Hesse exhausted the powdered 

 bark w T ith petroleum ether, and then extracted, by boiling alcohol, the salt of 

 an alkaloid, which they called Ditamine. After the evaporation of the alcohol, 

 it is precipitated by carbonate of sodium and dissolved by ether, from 

 which it is removed by shaking it with acetic acid. Ditamine as again isolat- 

 ed from the acetate forms an amorphous and somewhat crystalline, bitterish 

 powder of decidedly alkaline character ; the bark yields about 0'02 per cent, 

 of it. 



Prom the substances extracted by means of petroleum ether, as above 

 stated, Jobst and Hesse further isolated (I) Echicaoutchin, C 25 H 40 O 2 , an 

 amorphous yellow mass ; (2) Echicerin, C 50 H' s O 2 , forming acicular crystals, 

 melting at 157° C. : (3) Echitin, C 42 H 5 ' O 2 , crystallized scales, melting at 170° ; 

 (4) Echitein, C 12 H 70 0% which forms rhombic prisms, melting at 195°, ; (5) 

 Echiretin, C 3i H Sb O 2 , an amorphous substance, melting at 52°C. 



Echicaoutchin may be written thus : (C 5 H") 6 2 , echicerin (C» H 8 ) 8 0*. 

 echiretin (C 5 H 8 ) 'O 2 ; these formulae at once point out how nearly the three 

 last named substances are allied. They are probably constituents of the 

 milky juice of the tree. ( I harmacographia, 2nd Ed., p. 422.) 



Hesse has since separated from Dita bark two other bases, Echitamine and 

 Echitenine. He now reports that Ditamine exists in the bark in the propor- 

 tion of 0'04 per cent. It is readily soluble in dilute acids, and differs from the 

 alkaloids associated with it in being precipitated from its acid solutions by 

 ammonia. Its formula deduced from the analysis of its platinochloride, is 

 C ,s H 19 NO 1 . 



