132 
Analysis  of  Commercial  Veratrine. 
QffH49N09, 
( Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\      March,  1899. 
and  to  a  second,  which  was  obtained  by  a  method  not  unlike  that 
used  by  Couerbe  for  the  separation  of  sabadilleine,  they  gave  the 
name  cevadine.    To  this  substance,  they  gave  the  formula, 
C32H49N09, 
Later  experiments  showed  that  cevadine  was  the  most  abundant 
of  the  three  bases.  It  retained  the  name  from  the  fact  that  it 
formed  cevadic  acid. 
In  as  much  as  recent  experiments  have  shown  cevadine  to  be 
identical  with  the  common  veratrine,  it  would  appear  that  no  less 
than  three  distinct  substances  have  been  known  as  veratrine,  any 
one  of  which  might  be  taken  as  official  veratrine.  A  number  of 
examinations  of  commercial  veratrine  were  made,  and  in  each  case 
the  predominant  base  was  the  cevadine,  so  carefully  described  by 
Wright  and  Ahrens.  Not  a  single  case  showed  more  than  a  small 
per  cent,  of  either  of  the  other  substances  known  as  veratrine. 
SUBSTANCE  INSOLUBLE  IN  ETHER. 
In  making  these  determinations,  all  of  the  different  samples 
which  could  be  obtained  were  examined.  While  the  variation,  in 
certain  cases  was  considerable,  the  greater  part  was  found  to  be 
the  so-called  Wright  cevadine.  The  melting-point  was  found  to 
vary  slightly,  although  the  general  physical  and  chemical  properties 
were  comparatively  uniform.  In  determining  the  solubility,  how- 
ever, it  was  found  that  when  treated  with  ether,  a  small  quantity 
of  undissolved  substance  remained,  the  major  part  forming  a  color- 
less solution.  This  insoluble  substance  was  filtered  off  and  exam- 
ined. It  was  an  amorphous  powder  in  each  case,  with  a  melting- 
point  of  1840  to  2850  C.  It  did  not  fully  answer  the  description 
of  either  of  the  above  mentioned  bases.  The  following  determina- 
tions give  the  respective  per  cents,  of  the  insoluble  substance  with 
their  respective  melting  points  : 
Name  of  the  Manufacturer. 
Merck. 
TromsdorfF. 
Powers  & 
Weigh  tm  an. 
Mahlenkrodt. 
o'S6 
184°. 
3-89 
2850 
3-6 
2060 
3-26 
23 1° 
