186 
ON AMORPHOUS QUININE. 
I. II. III. 
Carbon 32.44 
Hydrogen 3.86 
Platinum 26.33 26.32 26.45 
Now, if we compare the proportion of carbon, hydrogen, 
and platinum, existing in the chloride of platinum and this 
base, derived from quinoidine, with the amount of the same 
elements present in the corresponding chloride of platinum 
and quinine ; and, further, the amount of carbon, hydrogen, 
and nitrogen, contained in the substance under examination, 
with the proportion of the same elements as they exist in 
quinine ; we perceive at once that the two substances have 
identically the same composition. 
Quinine, according to the formula — 
:c 90 H 12 NO 2 , 
contains — 
Carbon, 74.33; hydrogen, 7.75 ; nitrogen, 8.62. 
Chloride of platinum and quinine, according to the for- 
mula — 
CI H C^H^NO-fCl Pt, 
contains — 
Carbon, 32.38; hydrogen, 3.53 ; platinum, 26.83. 
The inference from these experiments, then, is irresisti- 
ble : the uncrystalline substance derived from quinoidine 
bears exactly the same relation to ordinary quinine that un- 
crystalline sugar (barley-sugar) bears to crystalline (sugar- 
candy.) Both yield the same atomic weight, and identical- 
ly the same composition ; they differ only in form : in one 
word, one is crystalline, the other amorphous. 
I deem this to be an important discovery, when we con- 
sider the high price of quinine, the possibility of a check to 
the supply of cinchona bark from the countries producing 
it, and the amount of the crude quinoidine which has accu- 
mulated since the manufacture of sulphate of quinine was 
commenced. Quinine, indeed, seems to be absolutely in- 
dispensable for the treatment of diseases ; the progress of 
