ON SYRUP OP CHLOROFORM. 
599 
The Chairman drew attention to to the statement made of the proportion of 
alkaloid contained in the bark of the roots. It appeared to him very remarkable, 
lie thought it would be matter of regret that the trees should be destroyed for 
the sake of the roots only. 
Dr. De Vry said the plants could be multiplied to such an extent as to justify 
their growth solely for the sake of the roots. In England the root bark was not 
appreciated, but in France it had been largely sold. 
Mr. IIanbury confirmed the statement that the root bark was not saleable in 
England. 
The Chairman inquired if any benefit had been found to result from the 
medicinal use Qf cjuinovic acid. 
Dr. De Vry had made some experiments on the subject, and intended to pub¬ 
lish the results. 
Professor Bentley looked upon Dr. De Vry’s paper as a most interesting oue. 
It would reassure those persons who were doubtful of the success of cinchona 
cultivation in India, although, for liis own part, he had never feared as to the 
result. The increase of plants had, however, far surpassed all expectation. His 
principal object in rising was to point out a remarkable fact,—the statement 
made by Dr. De Vry concerning the proportion of alkaloids found in the root 
bark. On this point, Mr. Howard had come to precisely opposite conclusions 
to those of Dr. De Vry. Mr. Howard founded his conclusions on analysis of 
barks imported into this country; lie had shown that the root bark contained 
only one-tenth part of the quantity of crystallized salt found in the stem-bark,— 
a statement totally at variance with that made by Dr. De Vry.* 
Dr. DeVry explained that he did not stand alone in his experience of the 
quantity of alkaloids found in the root bark. Delondre had stated essentially 
the same as himself, that the root bark contained more than that from the stem. 
ON SYRUP OF CHLOROFORM. 
BY ME. T. B. GROVES, E.C.S. 
I presume, from the frequency of its use, that chlorodyne is at least a con¬ 
venient preparation. Of its medicinal value I know nothing. 
It was in attempting its preparation, with a view of satisfying myself as to 
its reported difficulty of accomplishment, that I met with the facts forming 
the purport of this communication. 
It has been proved by experiment that chloroform is soluble in water to the 
extent of 2^ minims only, per ounce, and that if a spirituous solution of chlo¬ 
roform containing a larger proportion than the above be added to water, the ex¬ 
cess of chloroform soon finds its way to the bottom of the liquid, with which 
no amount of shaking will cause it to mingle sufficiently well to enable the 
dose to be accurately apportioned. This difficulty has been sought to be 
remedied in various ways. A Frenchman proposed a syrup of chloroform and 
glycerine, which he reported to have a marvellous aptitude to combine with 
water without decomposition. Mr. Squire, however, disposed of that fallacy 
as soon as it appeared. 
Another form, also from a foreign source, consists of of chloroform dis¬ 
solved in oil and then emulsecl with gum and s} r rups,—probably a good form 
for sole administration, but ill adapted for combinations. 
It occurred to me that if chloroform were reduced to exactly the same spe¬ 
cific gravity as the syrup employed, by the addition of a liquid lighter than 
itself, mixture once effected would be permanent; there could apparently be 
no tendency to separation if the theory admitted of being practically carried 
* Pharm. Journ., vol. v. 2nd ser. p. 31-2. 
