338 
Chemical  Notes. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
July,  1891. 
it  may  be  stated  that  it  was  changed  to  a  ruby-red  color  by  sul- 
phuric acid  and  to  a  dark  green  by  ferric  chloride.  Its  aquequs 
solution,  which  was  of  a  citrine  yellow  color,  assumed  a  much 
deeper  color  on  the  addition  of  sodium  hydrate. 
CHEMICAL  NOTES. 
By  Henry  C.  C.  Maisch,  Ph.G.,  Ph.D. 
Aconitum  and  Aconitine. — E.  Richards  and  Ashley  Roger  ( Client, 
and  Druggist,  1891,  38,  p.  205,  242)  in  examinations  of  Aconitum, 
arrived  at  the  following  conclusions :  (I)  The  best  material  for  the 
preparation  of  aconitine  is  the  tubers  of  Aconitum  Napellus.  (II) 
The  alkaloid  is  found  in  the  cambium,  the  vascular  bundles  and 
sieve  ducts.  (Ill)  The  crystals  of  aconitine  represent  hexagonal 
thin  plates  with  acute  ends.  (IV)  It  is  probable  that  two  varieties, 
a  and  fi,  of  aconitine  exist.  Melting  point  of  a-aconitine  ===  182- 
1840  C,  /3-aconitine  178-1800  C. ;  the  latter  is  also  about  six  times 
as  poisonous  as  the  former.  (V)  Formula  for  aconitine  is  C33H43N2012. 
(VI)  Percentage  of  alkaloid  in  fresh  tuber  071  per  cent.,  dry  0-14 
per  cent.,  Japanese  aconite  dry  0-57  per  cent. 
The  method  for  the  preparation  of  aconitine,  recommended  by  the 
above  authors,  is  as  follows  :  (a)  The  powdered  tuber  is  macerated 
from  three  tc  four  days,  with  washed  fusel  oil,  then  percolated  and 
the  alkaloid  extracted  from  the  percolate  with-  small  quantities  of 
dilute  sulphuric  acid,  (b)  The  fusel  oil  is  removed  from  this  solu- 
tion by  treatment  with  ether  and  the  dissolved  ether  driven  off  by 
heat,  (c)  The  alkaloid  is  precipitated  from  the  acid  solution  by 
solution  of  sodium  carbonate,  collected  on  a  strainer  pressed 
between  limestones  and  then  spread  on  bibulous  paper  and  allowed 
to  dry  at  ordinary  temperature,  (d)  The  dried  alkaloid  is  then 
boiled  with  pure  dry  ether  and  the  filtrate  set  aside  to  crystallize  ;  the 
crystals  are  then  redissolved  in  a  small  quantity  of  ether  to  remove 
a  gum-like  body,  (e)  The  toxic  properties  of  aconitine  as  thus 
obtained  is  rather  great,  but  can  be  improved  by  conversion  into  the 
nitrate,  and  then  from  this  obtaining  the  alkaloid. 
New  Alkaloids  from  Cevadilla  seeds. — E.  Merck  [Berichte,  Jan., 
1 89 1,  through  Chem.  Ztg.,  Rep.,  1 891,  p.  48)  has  isolated  two  new 
alkaloids  from  cevadilla,  which  he  has  named  sabadine  and  saba- 
dinine,  and  for  which  the  following  is  characteristic.  They  remain 
dissolved  when  isolated  by  alkalis,  carbonates  and  ammonia,  but 
