59» 
H yoscine-Scopolamine  Question. 
J  Am.  Jour.  Pharm, 
I  November,  1S97. 
hyoscine  of  normal  rotatory  power  with  but  very  slight  variations, 
that  is,  ranging  between  about  24°  and  25 °.  We  have  been  unable 
so  far  to  discover  a  feebly  rotating  preparation  obtained  from 
hyoscyamus  seeds. 
In  the  manufacture  of  scopolamine  from  scopolia  roots,  we  made 
the  optical  rotatory  power  a  subject  of  special  research  only  quite 
recently,  and  in  consequence  I  can  give  you  the  results  only  on  an 
amount  of  scopolamine  obtained  from  about  10,000  kilos  of  the 
roots.  The  scopolamine  hydrobromate  from  this  quantity,  on  being 
crystallized,  was  shown  to  be  absolutely  pure,  but  to  possess  a  laevo- 
rotatory  power  of  only  13-47°. 
In  connection  herewith  I  should  state  that,  in  working  the  sco- 
polia roots  and  in  working  up  the  side-bases  for  scopolamine,  exactly 
the  same  stages  were  adhered  to,  as  in  working  the  hyoscyamus 
seeds  and  in  working  up  their; '  side-bases  for  hyoscine.  Especially 
in  the  manner  of  using  alkali  in  both  series,  the  most  punctilious 
care  and  attention  were  exercised  in  order  to  make  the  conditions 
in  both  exactly  equal.  Hence,  I  cannot  well  refrain  from  the  con- 
clusion that  the  alkali  can  hardly  have  caused  the  difference  in 
rotatory  power  in  these  cases  of  ours  ;  for  had  it  done  so,  a  more 
feebly  rotating  product  must  have  resulted  in  the  isolation  of  the 
hyoscine  as  well  as  in  the  other  case.  This  experience  seems  to  me 
to  argue  largely  in  favor  of  O.  Hesse's  view,  that  two  chemically 
equal  basic  substances,  which  so  far  can  be  distinguished  from  one 
another  only  by  their  optical  activities,  are  contained  in  the  ordinary 
scopolamine  hydrobromate,  and  that,  quite  possibly,  they  exist  pre- 
formed already  in  the  scopolia  root. 
The  few  observations  so  far  available  cannot,  of  course,  suffice  to 
settle  the  pending  controversy  ;  but  it  affords  me  gratification  to 
be  in  a  position  to  promise  the  early  publication  of  further  results 
from  considerably  larger  batches  of  scopolia  roots,  in  which,  likewise,, 
the  various  results  will  be  most  carefully  noted,  which  I  hope  may 
contribute  toward  the  elucidation  of  this  question. 
Tonca  or  Tonquin  Beans,  according  to  Bulletin  of  Miscellaneous  Informa- 
tion, Trinidad,  October,  1897,  were  imported  from  Venezuela  in  1896  to  the 
value  of  £130,985.  Rum  to  the  extent  of  11,000  gallons  was  used  in  curing 
them  ;  the  greater  part  of  the  product  was  shipped  to  the  United  States,  only 
£1,091  in  value  going  to  other  places.  See  also  this  Journal,  March,  1897, 
page  157. 
