292 
Progress  in  Pharmacy. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
June,  1908. 
Adulterated  Belladonna  Leaves. — J.  Warin,  in  reporting  on  a  series 
of  comparative  assays  of  extract  of  belladonna,  asserts  that  he  met 
with  samples  of  belladonna  leaves  which  were  evidently  derived 
from  Scopola  carniolica,  and  also  samples  of  Italian  origin  which 
contained  an  appreciable  admixture  of  Phytolacca  decandra.  An 
extract  made  from  commercial  (Austrian)  leaves  assayed  1-127  per 
cent,  of  alkaloids,  while  one  of  the  samples  made  from  Italian  leaves 
assayed  but  0-318  per  cent,  of  mydriatic  alkaloid.  (Jour.  Phar.  et 
Chim.,  1908,  page  321.) 
Frangula  and  Cascara. — Kroeber  has  made  a  comparative 
examination  of  the  fluidextracts  of  Rhamnus  purshiana  and  of 
Rhamnus  frangula,  and  believes  that  the  widespread  preference  for 
cascara  sagrada  is  not  well  founded.  He  finds  that,  according  to 
colorimetric  tests  for  oxymethylanthrachinon,  as  proposed  by 
Tschirch,  fluidextract  of  Rhamnus  frangula  contains  from  4-5  to  5 
per  cent.,  and  fluidextract  of  Rhamnus  purshiana  from  2-o  to  4-14 
per  cent,  of  oxymethylanthrachinon.  (Schiveiz.  Woch.-Schr.  f.  Chem. 
u.  Phar.,  1908,  page  131.) 
The  Constituents  of  Simaruba  Bark. — Charles  Gilling  {Phar.  Jour., 
April  18,  1908,  page  510)  reports  on  an  exhaustive  examination  of 
simaruba  bark  from  British  Guiana,  doubtless  derived  from  Simaruba 
amara. 
He  concludes  that  the  bark  of  Simaruba  amara  contains  a  fixed 
oil,  a  crystalline  bitter  substance,  C22H30O9,  giving  a  violet  coloration 
with  concentrated  sulphuric  acid,  and  a  crystalline,  non-bitter 
substance.  The  presence  of  a  fluorescent  principle  was  also 
indicated,  but  this  was  not  isolated. 
The  Development  of  Cinchona  Alkaloids. — Experiments  conducted 
in  the  Dutch  Government  laboratories  indicate  that  the  develop- 
ment of  bases  in  Cinchona  ledgeriana  takes  place  in  the  following 
order  :  amorphous  alkaloid,  cinchonine,  cinchonidine,  quinine  and 
quinidine.  The  seeds  contain  both  amorphous  alkaloid  and  cin- 
chonine, the  latter  increasing  as  the  seeds  begin  to  germinate.  The 
leaves  of  young  trees  contain  cinchonidine,  cinchonine  and  amorphous 
alkaloid.  Quinine  first  appears  in  the  roots  of  young  plants. 
{Phar.  Zen?h.y  1908,  page  233.) 
Strychnos  Aculeata. — The  fruits  of  Strychnos  aculeata  or  of  a 
closely  allied  species  are  employed  by  the  natives  of  the  ivory  coast 
as  a  fish  poison.    The  entire  fruit  weighs  100  to  150  grammes  and 
