1 6  Abstracts  from  the  French  Journals.  {AmjJa°nu'i^arm- 
Laurelia  aromatica — Otto  Witte  {loc  cit.)  isolated  from  the  bark 
of  this  Chilean  tree  an  alkaloid  which  he  named  lanreline.  Its 
reactions  are  similar  to  those  described  by  Zeyer  for  atherospermine 
(see  Amer.  Jour.  Phar.,  1862,  p.  166),  and  it  resembles  also  the 
boldine  of  Bourgoin  and  Verne  (ibid,  1872,  p.  560).  The  plants 
from  which  these  alkaloids  have  been  obtained  belong  to  the  order 
Monimiaceae,  and  it  seems  probable  that  the  three  alkaloids  are 
closely  related. 
Preparation  of  salicylate  of  eserine  —  According  to  Nederlandsch 
Tijdschrift  (L  Union  Pharma.,  1892,  401)  100  parts  of  eserine 
sulphate  are  dissolved  in  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water  and  preci- 
pitated by  an  excess  of  sodium  carbonate.  This  mixture  is  shaken 
repeatedly  with  water  and  ether  (free  from  alcohol).  The  ethereal 
liquids  are  united  and  filtered  into  a  beaker  containing  35-5  parts 
salicylic  acid  by  which  the  salicylate  of  eserine  is  precipitated.  This 
is  collected  on  a  filter  washed  with  ether  and  then  dried  at  ordinary 
temperature  away  from  air  and  light.  Thus  obtained  the  salicylate 
is  in  very  small  crystals  and  is  rather  voluminous. 
Cascarin,  C10Hlfl05,  is  a  crystalline  principle,  isolated  by  Leprince 
from  the  bark  of  Rhamnus  Pursluana.  The  bark  is  treated  with  a 
hot  solution  of  soda,  the  infusion  neutralized  with  sulphuric  acid 
and  the  filtrate  concentrated  in  vacuo  ;  the  precipitate  is  redissolved 
in  hot  soda  solution,  and  this  is  rendered  slightly  acid  ;  the  residue 
left  on  evaporation  is  dried,  treated  with  acetone,  the  liquid 
acidulated  with  sulphuric  acid  and  poured  into  a  large  quantity  of 
boiling  water.  The  precipitate,  after*  further  purification,  forms 
prisms,  which  have  a  more  or  less  deep  yellow  color,  depending 
upon  the  amount  of  water  in  combination.  -  On  fusion  with 
potassium  hydrate,  phenol  is  produced. —  Compt.  rend.,  cxv,  286. 
Urechites  snberecta. — The  leaves  of  this  apocynaceous  plant,  which 
is  indigenous  to  Jamaica,  according  to  Stockman  {Rev.  de  Clin,  et  de 
Ther.,  June  29.  1892)  contains  an  alkaloid,  urechitifie,  and  a  gluco- 
side,  urechotonin,  resembling  digitalis  in  its  action.  The  alkaloid 
is  toxic,  producing  emesis,  muscular  weakness  and  arythmy  and 
lessening  of  the  heart  beats.  The  glucoside  has  nearly  the  same 
properties,  but  is  less  toxic. 
Morrenia  br  achy  Stephana,  an  asclepiadaceous  plant  of  the 
Argentine  Republic,  known  as  tasi,  is  an  excellent  galactagogue, 
according  to  Del  Area  and  Sicardi  (Semaifie  vied.,  July,  1892).  An 
