N O. APOCYNA0E.E. 
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, perhaps 
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 (ehiretta), orange peel and Nux-Vomica, as an alter- 
ative and tonic. 
Doses.— In dysentery 5 i doses with Tinct. of Opium, m. x made up with 
Peppermint water, thrice daily. 
In diarrhoea 3ss dose 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 with 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 barb 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 1 ' H‘° O’, an 
amorphous yellow mass ; (2) Echlcerin, C‘° H” O’, forming acicular crystals, 
melting at 157° C. : (3) Echitin, C* 1 H S1 O l , crystallized scales, melting at 170° ; 
(4) Eehitein, C^H^O*, which forms rhombic prisms, melting at 195°, ; (5) 
Echiretin, C*‘ H“ O’, an amorphous substance, melting at 52°C. 
Eckicaoatchin may be written thus : (C* H") *0 ? , echicerin (C‘ HTO 1 , 
echiretin fC* H") ’O’ ; these formulse 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>* H>* NO*, 
