Alkaloids  of  Alstonia  Constrict  a.  {AmxJu 
Principles  soluble  in  Ether,           .           .           .  1*038 
Principles  soluble  in  Alcohol    .           ,           .  27*740 
Principles  soluble  in  Water,          .           .           .  1-375 
Hygrometric  Moisture,           .           .           .  8*932 
Saline  Matter,        .....  9748 
Ligneous  Substance  (by  difference),     .           .  51*167 
100*000 
No  examination  was  made  of  the  alcoholic  extract,  the  author's  opera- 
tions being  confined  to  the  much  smaller  quantity  (1*038  per  cent.)  of 
ethereal  extract.  This  was  treated  with  dilute  hydrochloric  acid  (1  in 
200)  to  remove  fatty  matters,  about  one  half  its  weight,  when  the 
hydrochloric  solution  presented  a  very  decided  green  dichroism.  Upon 
filtering  through  animal  charcoal  the  greater  part  of  the  coloring  mat- 
ter was  taken  up  by  the  charcoal,  but  the  nearly  colorless  filtrate  pre- 
sented a  very  pronounced  blue  fluorescence.  This  hydrochloric  solu- 
tion gave  to  reagents  distinct  indications  of  an  alkaloid,  to  separate 
which  in  a  definite  crystalline  form  several  methods  were  tried  unsuc- 
cessfully. Eventually,  the  solution  was  precipitated  by  ammonia,  the 
precipitate  dried  under  a  glass  over  sulphuric  acid,  and  then  exhausted 
by  ether,  which  separated  a  brownish  resinous  substance.  The  ethereal 
solution  was  evaporated,  the  residue  again  dissolved  in  dilute  hydro- 
chloric acid,  precipitated  with  ammonia  and  the  precipitate  treated  with 
ether  until  all  colored  matter  was  removed,  when  the  ethereal  solution 
being  enclosed  in  a  perfectly  closed  test-tube  yielded  a  crystallization  of 
the  alkaloid,  which  the  authors  propose  to  call  "Alstonine." 
The  alstonine  of  Oberlin  and  Schlagdenhauffen  is  described  as  crys- 
tallizing in  silky  tufts  of  brilliant,  colorless  isolated  or  stellate  crystals. 
It  is  soluble  in  ether,  alcohol,  chloroform,  benzin,  acetone  and  petro- 
leum. In  cold  water  it  is  insoluble,  but  it  is  rather  soluble  in  boiling 
water,  to  which  it  imparts  a  bitter  taste.  The  aqueous  solution  colors 
red  litmus  paper  blue.  Weak  acids  dissolve  it  completely,  and  it  is 
precipitated  from  solution  by  all  the  alkaloidal  reagents.  Heated  upon 
platinum  foil  it  first  melts,  then  at  a  higher  temperature  gives  off  an 
aromatic  odor,  disengages  an  abundance  of  yellow  vapor,  carbonizes 
and  finally  disappears  without  leaving  any  residue.  The  yield  of  this 
alkaloid  is  extremely  small.  In  contact  with  concentrated  sulphuric, 
nitric  or  hydrochloric  acid  the  crystals  dissolve  quickly  with  scarcely 
any  color,  a  yellowish  tint  being  scarcely  perceptible.    Upon  adding 
408 
