300 
Specimens  of  Aconitine. 
Am.  j  our.  Pnarm. 
June,  1893. 
(10)  " Aconitine  Muriate"  (German). — A  yellow,  uncrystalline 
powder  melting  indistinctly  at  86°.  Its  solution  in  water  was 
highly  colored,  and  produced  only  a  feeble  tingling  sensation  on 
the  tongue.  It  was  chiefly  isaconitine  hydrochloride  contaminated 
with  the  hydrochlorides  of  other  amorphous  alkaloids,  and  with  a 
trace  of  aconitine  hydrochloride. 
( 1 1)  "Aconitine  Sulphate "  (German). — A  reddish,  crystalline  pow- 
der melting  indefinitely  below  1280.  Its  aqueous  solution  was  red. 
The  alkaloid  was  regenerated,  and  was  proved  to  be  chiefly  isacon- 
itine with  a  little  aconitine. 
(12)  "Aconitine  Nitrate"  (German). — A  dark  yellow,  amorphous 
substance  melting  near  620.  The  aqueous  solution  was  yellow.  It 
furnished  no  crystalline  alkaloid,  but  the  existence  in  it  of  a  small 
quantity  of  aconitine  was  revealed  by  its  physiological  action.  Some 
isaconitine  was  isolated,  but  it  was  contaminated  with  other  amor- 
phous alkaloids. 
(r3)  "  Aconitine,  Pure,  from  Aconitum  Napellus"  (English). — A 
yellowish  white,  crystalline  powder  melting  at  186-1870.  It  dis- 
solved completely  in  dilute  acid,  forming  a  yellow  solution.  A  large 
quantity  of  pure  aconitine  was  isolated,  together  with  a  small  quan- 
tity (about  3  per  cent.)  of  isaconitine. 
(14)  "Aconitine,  Pure,  Crystallized,  from  Aconitum  Napellus  " 
(German). — A  collection  of  small,  nearly  white,  distinct  crystals 
melting  at  187-5°.  It  dissolved  in  dilute  acid,  forming  an  almost 
colorless  solution,  which  furnished  a  large  quantity  of  pure  acon- 
itine salt.  The  regenerated  alkaloid  melted  at  188-5°.  This  speci- 
men consisted  of  almost  pure  aconitine. 
(15-17)  "Aconitine,  Amorphous,  from  Aconitum  Napellus  "  (Ger- 
man).— Three  separate  specimens  of  this  material  were  examined. 
It  is  a  yellow,  amorphous  powder,  dissolving  in  dilute  acid  with 
the  production  of  a  colored  solution.  In  each  case  aconitine, 
isaconitine,  homisaconitine,  and  aconine  were  isolated,  but  the  amount 
of  aconitine  obtained  varied  greatly ;  in  one  instance,  as  much  as 
20  per  cent,  of  the  substance  was  found  to  be  aconitine,  whilst  in 
another  as  little  as  5  per  cent,  was  present.  These  products  appear 
to  represent  the  total  alkaloids  of  A.  Napellus. 
In  the  light  of  these  results,  it  is  not  surprising  to  learn  that  great 
variations  have  been  observed  in  the  toxic  power  of  commercial  speci- 
mens of  aconitine. 
