154 Prof. T. R. Fraser and Dr. J. Tillie. On the [Mar. 23, 



In the present paper we propose to give a brief preliminary 

 description of some of the most important of the results obtained by 

 us in an extended examination of the chemical and pharmacological 

 properties of the arrow-poison, and especially of the wood from which 

 it is prepared, reserving fuller details nntil the flowers of the plant 

 have been obtained. 



We have fonnd that the arrow-poison contains a crystalline gluco- 

 sidal active principle, which in its chemical properties and pharmaco- 

 logical actions is identical with an active principle present in the 

 wood, thns confirming the statement of the source of the poison. 



One early and small supply of the wood did not yield a crystalline 

 principle when the extract was treated by the tannin and oxide of 

 lead process, and the limited supply at onr disposal prevented the 

 adoption of the process which, when applied to subsequently received 

 supplies, led to the separation of the active principle in a crystalline 

 form. 



This process consists in the preparation of an alcoholic extract of the 

 wood, the treatment of this with water, and the evaporation of the 

 filtered watery solution. Impure crystals appear in the concentrated 

 fluid, and their purification is effected by digestion of a hot alcoholic 

 solution with charcoal, and subsequent recrystallisations from rectified 

 spirit. 



Thus obtained, the active principle occurs in the form of colourless 

 thin needle-shaped crystals, which usually group themselves in tufts 

 and rosettes. When crystallised from water it has the form of quadr- 

 angular plates. 



At a temperature between 55° and 60° F. the crystals are soluble 

 to the extent of about 0*93 per cent, in distilled water ; of 0*41 per 

 cent, in absolute alcohol ; of 0*45 per cent, in diluted alcohol of sp. 

 gr. 0-838 ; of 2-4 per cent, in diluted alcohol of sp. gr. 0*920. They 

 are less soluble in acetone, amylic alcohol, and petroleum ether ; and 

 are altogether insoluble in ethylic ether and chloroform. Much 

 larger quantities are dissolved by hot than by cold water and 

 alcohol. 



Ether, chloroform, and petroleum ether precipitate the active 

 principle in a crystalline form from solutions in strong and dilute 

 alcohol. 



A saturated solution in cold water is tasteless and neutral in re- 

 action ; and it is obviously affected by very few chemical reagents, 

 including the ordinary reagents for alkaloids. Silver nitrate and 

 mercurous nitrate, however, produce white precipitates. Tannin 

 does not cause any change in saturated cold water solutions, but it 

 throws down a copious white precipitate in cold solutions, prepared 

 by saturating water at the boiling temperature, and this precipitate is 

 soluble in an excess of the reagent and in water. 



