December 7, 1944 
To: Fred W, Pearman, Chief, Colombian Cinchona Division 
From: Tom Beilis, Chemist 
Subject: Antioquia Remijia as a Possible Source of (iuinidlne 
Keferenco is made to my memorandum of November 22, subject 
"(iuinidine Sources and Experiments," in which I promised to 
review our files of analyses with the purpose in mind of locating 
possible soirees for the alkaloid quinidine, 
I find that our Dr, Coro submitted 10 samples of Remijia bark 
from a region which we designate as number 46, at elevations below 
650 meters, in the Departemonto de Antioquia, These samples ’were 
submitted under Dr, Core's Nos, 666, 667, 669, 670, 839, 857, 
859, 860, 861, and 864, One of these samples gave no more than ‘ 
traces of any of the alkaloids quinine, clnchonldine , cinchonine, 
and quinidine. The other nine samples gave interestingly high 
quinidine assays, the average fer the nine amounting to 0,8j^ 
quinidine. I have drawn from storage these nine samples and 
have reanalyzed them. The reanalyaes agree within the expected 
errors of analysis With the original work. The greatest devia- 
tion between reanalyses and original analyses on the percent of 
quinidine is C.l?^, The average of the nine reanalyses amounts 
to 0 .8^, r ^ ^ 
. - not appear to be exploitable 
either as a source of quinine or as a source of totaquina. Most 
of the samples did not yield sufficient tartrate precipitate of 
quinine plus clnchonldine to enable me to determine the proportion 
of quinine. However, it is my judgment that the nine samples 
analyzed will not average more than l^J of the alkaloid quinine; 
The average for the sum of the alkaloids quinine, c Inchonidlne, 
cinchonine, and quinidine for the nine samoles amounts to less 
than 1.7<. 
Upon original analysis I was somewhat skeptical that the material 
appearing as quinidine in the analysis was actually that alkaloid. 
Hence upon reanalysia I have converted the quinidine hydrlodide 
precipitate into quinidine alkaloid and thereafter into quinidine 
sulfate, I am convinced that the alkaloid reported as quinidine 
is actually quinidine. I attach hereto a small exhibit of the 
quinidine sulfate prepared from the residue obtained upon reanalysls 
of these samples. 
The first i)aragraph of rr, McDermott's letter on the subject 
"quinidine Sources and iixperiments" is: 
"The demand for quinidine is so great that all 
possible sources must be develoi)ed In an effort to 
maintain minimum stocks of this drug," 
