PREPARATION OP THE NEW ALKALOID ACONELLA. 
319 
From the following additional proofs in connection with what has been already 
stated, there cannot, we think, be any doubt that the new substance must be 
classed among the natural organic alkalies- 
Aconella does not appear to have any poisonous quality. We gave three 
decigrammes to a cat, without the production of any apparent inconvenience 
to the animal- 
Its harmless character naturally suggests the question whether the admittedly 
weak action of most of the aconitina of commerce may not arise from its mixture 
with aconella. Putting aside the idea of intentional adulteration, its inferior 
potency could very well be accounted for by the presence of this substance, 
without involving any imputation of blame, and only indicating ignorance 
of the means to be adopted for securing the purity of the aconitina. 
As both aconitina and aconella are precipitated by alkalies, it is very pro¬ 
bable that this mixed precipitate has been accepted by some operators as pure 
aconitina. In the process of purification, unless a quantity of acid be used not 
greater than is necessary to redissolve only the aconitina, both will be redis¬ 
solved, and at the next precipitation they will go down together as before.. 
If the aconella has not already been removed in the preparation of aconitina, 
its presence can be prevented by carefully avoiding more than the faintest 
acid reaction in redissolving the aconitina. 
Aconitina is a strong alkaloid, and therefore at once turns reddened litmus 
blue; on the contrary, all the solutions of aconella in acids, strongly reddens 
litmus ; therefore after redissolving the precipitate of aconitina, mixed with 
aconella in acids, the liquid should show, after sufficient time and agitation, only 
a slight acid reaction, else the aconitina when again precipitated will be 
mixed to a more or less extent with aconella. Even the use of ether will not 
secure the absence cf aconella, because although aconitina is very soluble in 
ether, aconella is not by any means insoluble in that liquid. 
Another probable cause of the deterioration of aconitina wffien mixed with 
aconella may be the absorption of the aconitina by the charcoal used in bleaching 
it. Charcoal has so remarkable an attraction for aconitina, that we have often 
seen it entirely absorbed by the charcoal; so that in purifying a mixture of aco¬ 
nitina and aconella, it might very readily happen, that the substance ultimately 
obtained Avould not contain a trace of aconitina. 
The quantity of aconitina given by 1 cwt. of the fresh roots, never, so far as. 
our experience goes, exceeds 1 oz. A simple calculation founded on the compa¬ 
rative strength of the aconite-root and pure aconitina, perhaps the most potent; 
of all poisons, will show that no possible means could yield much more than that 
quantity. 
The crystallization of a hot spirituous solution of aconella in gaslight presents 
a very remarkable and beautiful appearance. The whole body of the liquid seems 
to be incessantly emitting minute flashes of light, something like what might be 
expected from a shower of minute particles of incandescent lime—a sort of de¬ 
flagration, but in a liquid medium. The phenomenon seems to be caused by the 
reflection of the light from the faces of crystals, continually forming and moving 
in the liquid, as they present to the incident rays the proper angle of reflection 
to the eye of the observer. 
It is a very remarkable fact, that the characters of aconella bear a great re¬ 
semblance to those of narcotine. The similarity is so great that we have com¬ 
pared them together to a certain extent, $nd although the comparison has not 
yet been carried out to produce the conviction of absolute identity, yet so far as 
it goes, it leads to the belief, that aconella is nothing else than narcotine. 
We may carry out the comparison and give the results ; but in the meantime we 
will give the points of resemblance ascertained betwixt the two alkaloids. 
Aconella is without taste in the solid state, so also is narcotine; the solutions 
of both however are very bitter. z 
