October 15, 1870.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
305 
The analysis of the pure alkaloid gave results leading 
to the formula:— 
^36-^28^2^6 + HO. 
Comparing this formula with that of atropin, they 
differ by C 2 H 5 N, and, consequently, hyoscyamin might 
be regarded as atropin, in which H was replaced by me- 
thylammonium C 2 H 3 II 3 N, or as 
^ 34^22 (C 2 H 3 ,H 3 N)0 6 -j-H0. 
The formula calculated from the gold salt would be 
CagHjo^O^, but if it be assumed that this salt contains 
6 atoms of water of crystallization, there would remain 
C 36 H 34 N. 2 O g , and this comes somewhat nearer to that 
found above. The difference in the hydrogen was pro¬ 
bably due to the hygroscopic nature of the gold salt and 
the multiplication of the consequent error in analysing a 
small quantity of substance having so high a formula. 
By treating hyoscyamin with caustic alkali it is broken 
up into an acid, which the author believes to bo iden¬ 
tical with or closely related to atropic acid, a base 
analogous to conia, together with some ammonia and 
bases resembling methylamine. 
The waxy crystalline substance above mentioned was 
very feebly acid in solution ; its melting-point was from 
208° to 210° C., but it became soft at 120°. It had 
neither smell nor taste, would not sublime, was insoluble 
in water, readily soluble in strong alcohol, especially on 
warming, still more soluble in ether and chloroform. 
Analysis gave results which appeared to show some 
relation between this substance and lactucerin C 32 H 26 0 2 , 
and the author suggests the name hyoscerin, C 32 M 30 0 6 (?). 
The analysis of the glucoside, which the author 
terms hyoscypikrin, gave results loading to the formula 
G$4 H s2 0 28 . 
It was not determined conclusively whether the vola¬ 
tile methylic base was formed by the action of caustic 
alkali or whether it was actually present in the seed. 
The nitrogenous resin was purified by dissolving it in 
weak alcohol, evaporating the solution and pouring off 
the residual watery liquid from the deposit of resin. 
This was dried, deprived of adherent fat by digestion with 
ether, and finally treated with animal charcoal after 
solution in weak alcohol. 
The resin still remained yellowish after this treat¬ 
ment. It could not be crystallized from alcohol or from 
•ether. It had a bitter taste and a peculiar smell; the 
alcoholic solution scarcely reddened litmus paper. Con¬ 
centrated sulphuric acid as well as caustic alkalies dis¬ 
solved the resin with deep orange coloration. Neutral 
and basic acetates of lead gave a yellowish precipitate 
with the alcoholic solution. Analysis gave results 
agreeing with the formula C i10 Hj. 0 N 2 O 32 . The resin did 
not appear to be much altered by treatment with dilute 
acids or alkalies; when boiled several hours with strong 
caustic alkali, some ammonia was given off .—Neues He- 
pertorium fur Tharmacie. 
THE INTRODUCTION OF CHLOROFORM INTO 
ANAESTHETICS.* 
. In a pamphlet issued by Mr. George Waldie, of Lin¬ 
lithgow, he discusses with some warmth the question of 
the introduction of chloroform into anaesthetics, main¬ 
taining that justice was not done to his brother, Mr. 
David Waldie, by the late Sir James Y. Simpson in his 
account of the discovery of its value as an agent for the 
relief of pain. Mr. G. Waldie says:— 
* ‘ The True Story of the Introduction of Chloroform into 
Anaesthetics, being the Original Account given of it in 1847, 
and a Re-statement in 1870. By David Waldie, F.C.S., 
Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, with Remarks by 
George Waldie. Linlithgow: George Waldie. Edinburgh: 
Oliver and Boyd.’ 
“ It never was the desire of my brother to take away from 
the late Sir James Y. Simpson any of the credit which was 
justly due to him, neither is it mine in writing these pages; 
but now that the wonders of organic chemistry are being un¬ 
folded, and now that we are in sight of, if we have not 
already reached, the period when chloroform as an anaesthetic 
is to be superseded in its turn by some till-now unknown 
compound, it is time that the history of chloroform should bo 
better known; and what follows will show both the necessity 
for this, and the obligation laid upon me to contribute to¬ 
wards making it so.” 
The account given by Mr. David Waldie himself of 
his share in the discovery is as follows :— 
“ On occasion of a visit to Dr. Simpson, when in Scotland 
in 1847, he spoke to me of his trials of various vapours, in hia 
endeavours to discover something else than ether, at that 
time employed to some extent for anaesthetic purposes, amongst 
lothers mentioning chloric ether, the chemical constitution of 
which he was evidently not aware of. This I explained to 
him, showing him that it was chiefly vapour of alcohol that 
would be inhaled, and advised him to try the pure chloro¬ 
form, which appeared to me likely to be suitable. I promised 
also to prepare some as soon as I could on my return to 
Liverpool, and send it to him for trial. Unfortunately the 
laboratory of the Company had pi*eviously been destroyed by 
fire, and was not then restored, so that I could not prepare it; 
and in the meantime Dr. Simpson had procured some chloro¬ 
form, and discovered its effects by inhalation. 
“ When the news came, not long after my return to Liver¬ 
pool, I felt pleased at the success of my recommendation, but 
was also mortified that, from these unfortunate circumstances, 
I had not been able to do something in carrying it out. I had 
inhaled both nitrous oxide gas and ether vapours before, and 
felt interested in the inquiry; and have no doubt but that, if 
I had been in a position to prepare the chloroform, I should 
at once have discovered its properties on my own person.” 
In the first pamphlet issued by Sir James Y. Simpson 
on the subject of chloroform he gives his account of the 
circumstances that induced him to experiment with chlo¬ 
roform in these words:— 
“ With various professional friends more conversant with 
chemistry than I am, I have since that time [the introduc¬ 
tion of anaesthetic practice from America] taken opportuni¬ 
ties of talking over the idea which I entertained of the pos¬ 
sible existence or discovery of new therapeutic agents, ca¬ 
pable of being introduced into the system by respiration, and 
the possibility of procuring for inhalation vaporizable or 
volatile preparations of some of our more active and old- 
established medicines; and I have had, during the summer 
and autumn, ethereal tinctures, etc., of several potent drugs 
manufactured for me for experiment by Messrs. Duncan, 
Flockhart and Co., the excellent chemists and druggists of 
this city. ... I have tried upon myself and others the inha¬ 
lation of other volatile fluids. ... I have found, however, one 
infinitely more efficacious than any of the others, viz. chloro¬ 
form, or the perchloride of formyle, and I am enabled to 
speak most confidently of its superior anaesthetic properties, 
having now tried it upon upwards of thirty individuals. The 
liquid I have used has been manufactured for mo by Mr. 
Hunter, in the laboratory of Messrs. Duncan, Flockhart 
and Co.” 
To this was subjoined the following foot-note:— 
“ In talking over with different chemists what fluids might 
be sufficiently volatile to be respirable, and hence deserving of 
being experimented upon, Mr. Waldie first named to me the 
perchloride of formyle, as worthy, among others, of a trial; 
Dr. Gregory suggested a trial of the chloride of hydrocarbon, 
etc. I have been deeply indebted to Dr. Gregory and Dr. 
Anderson, for their kindness in furnishing me with the re¬ 
quisite chemical agents for these experiments; and also to my 
assistants, Dr. Keith and Dr. Duncan, for the great and 
hearty zeal with which they have constantly aided mein con¬ 
ducting the inquiry.” 
Mr. Waldie disappointed that Sir James should speak 
of his suggestion in so incidental a manner, and that, too, 
in a foot-note where it was likely to be overlooked, pre¬ 
pared a paper entitled “ Chloroform, the New Agent for 
producing Insensibility to Pain by Inhalation,” which 
