Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Oct.,  1886. 
British  Pharmaceutical  Conference. 
517 
admitting  the  facility  which  the  nitrate  presents  for  obtaining  a  crystalline 
product,  Mr.  Williams  evidently  doubts  whether  so  delicate  an  alkaloid  can 
escape  alteration  in  contact  with  nitric  acid,  and  thinks  the  probability  of  a 
change  is  indicated  by  the  difference  in  the  form  of  the  crystallization  of  the 
base  before  and  after  conversion  into  nitrate  and  subsequent  liberation.  This 
point  is  at  present  the  subject  of  physiological  experiment.  The  paper  was 
followed  by  an  interesting  discussion,  opened  by  Mr.  Groves,  who  somewhat 
pooh-poohed  the  probability  of  alteration  being  necessarily  consequent  upon 
the  conversion  of  the  base  into  a  nitrate  if  common  sense  ruled  the  manipu- 
lation. Mr.  Groves  suggested  the  cultivation  of  some  true  Aconitum  Napellus 
plants,  with  a  view  to  more  exact  experiment,  and  the  hazy  knowledge  existing 
in  respect  to  the  particular  compound  obtained  from  tubers  of  different  botani 
cal  origin  was  adverted  to  by  several  speakers,  the  fact  being  emphasized  by 
Mr.  Holmes  remarking  that  there  are  as  many  as  twenty-four  varieties  of  that 
species. 
Hymenodictyonine. — Mr.  Naylor  then  contributed  another  instalment  to  the 
chemical  history  of  the  bitter  alkaloidal  principle  isolated  by  him  from  the 
bark  of  Hymenodictyon  excelsum,  used  in  India  as  a  tonic.  Some  of  the  ex- 
periments now  recorded  consisted  in  attempts  to  obtain  an  iodine  derivative 
of  the  alkaloid  in  a  crystalline  form;  these,  however,  were  unsuccessful, 
though  an  amorphous  body  was  obtained  which  gave  on  analysis  47-52  per 
cent,  of  iodine,  which  corresponds  pretty  nearly  with  the  formula  (C23H40N'2 )  2- 
I3.2HI.  A  similar  failure  attended  attempts  to  obtain  a  crystalline  bromine 
derivative.  Other  experiments  had  for  their  object  to  ascertain  the  effect  of 
oxidizing  agents  on  hymenodictyonine,  the  general  result  being  an  indication 
that  like  other  non- oxygenated  alkaloids  it  is  constitutionally  related  to 
pyridine. 
The  time  had  now  arrived  for  adjournment  to  luncheon,  which  was  pro- 
vided at  the  Grand  Hotel. 
Elaterium. — Upon  resuming  the  first  paper  read  was  on  the  Assay  of  Elaterium, 
by  Messrs.  Jones  and  Ransom,  which  was  partly  devoted  to  the  explanation  of 
the  defective  nature  of  the  method  given  in  the  Pharmacopoeia  and  partly  to 
the  description  of  an  improved  method  by  which  the  determination  of  elaterin 
may  be  more  correctly  carried  out. 
Pareira  brava. — The  next  paper,  by  Mr.  William  Kirby,had  for  its  subject  a  false 
pareira  brava  from  the  West  Indies.  The  histological  peculiarities  of  this  root  as 
well  as  the  stem  were  fully  described,  and  will  be  illustrated  when  the  paper  is 
published.  The  reading  of  this  paper  gave  the  President  an  opportunity  of 
reiterating  his  opinion  as  to  the  value  of  the  microscope  as  a  means  of  de- 
tecting intentional  sophistication  or  the  accidental  substitution  of  one  drug 
for  another. 
Vlexine. — The  separation  of  an  alkaloid,  to  which  the  name  "ulexine"  was 
given,  from  the  seeds  of  the  common  furze,  was  announced  by  Mr.  Gerrard  a  few 
weeks  since  (see  this  number,  p.  489)  but  the  method  of  preparation  then  described 
was  defective  and  wasteful.  Mr.  Gerrard  now  states  that  it  can  be  separated 
more  effectively  by  treating  the  oily  extract  removed  from  the  crushed  seeds  by 
alcohol  with  dilute  hydrochloric  acid,  neutralizing  the  acid  liquid  with  sodium 
carbonate,  and  after  allowing  resin  to  deposit  adding  excess  of  caustic  soda, 
