peripherica vix conspicue 2-valvaris, ventre condylo* interno magno globoso foraminibus 2 prope hilum perforato instructa, 1-locularis. Semen loculo conforme, meniscoideo-globosum, facie interna valde cavum. Integumentum tenue, membranaceum, reticulatum, in plicis albuminis insinuatum. Embryo fere rectus, paulo curvatus, inversus, intra albumen amplum carnosum quasi bilaminarem inclusus; lamina externa simplici tenuissima, interna valde crassa et in lamellas plurimas seu lobos transversos convoluto-plicatos profundissime ruminata, superficie hinc bullata ; cotyledonibus tenuissime foliaceis oblongis profunde sinuato-laciniatis lateraliter divaricatis et in locellis sejunctis intra laminas utrinque positis, radicula supera brevi terete ad hilum spectante multo longioribus.-Frutices scandentes, insulis Indiæ Orientalis indigenæ ; folia longe petiolata, peltata vel palmata, 5-7-nervia, crasso-coriacea, supra glabra, subtus tomentosa; racemus supra-axillaris, petiolo brevior; flores minuti, sessiles, in capitulis pedunculatis omnino cano-tomentosis, dense aggregatis. Miers. Coscinium fenestratum. Coscinium fenestratum. Colebr. in Linn. Trans. v. xiii. p. 65. Walp. Repert. Bot. v. i., p. 95. Pereiria Medica. Lindl. Fl. Med. p. 370. Menispermum fenestratum. Gært. Fruct. v. i. p. 219, t. 46. De Cand. Prodr. v. i. p. 451. Roxb. Fl. Ind. v. iii. p. 809. Cissampelos convolvulacea, a et B. Moon's Cat. p. 70. We have received seeds of this plant at the Royal Gardens of Kew, which are recently sown, from our valued friend Mr. Thwaites, of the Botanic Garden in Ceylon. These seeds were accompanied by a coloured drawing of the plant, which enables us to give the representation of a plant of some interest in the Materia Medica, the same kind of interest, I mean, as is felt in the detection of the adulteration of tea, coffee, tobacco, &c.; for there has been of late a very extensive importation of what we here term false Calumba-root.† instead of the true Calumbaroot, Jateorrhiza palmata, Miers (Flora of the Niger Expedition), Cocculus palmatus, De Cand. (and of Bot. Mag., Tab. 2970, 2971). Daniel Hanbury, Esq., of Ploughcourt, London, in a recent volume of the Pharmaceutical Journal ‡, gave a history of this fraud on the public; and immediately opened a correspondence with Mr. Thwaites on the subject of the plant in question. The Coscinium was scarcely known to botanists but by the brief description of the curious seed (curious as to internal structure, published by Gærtner, l. c.), and the still imperfect description of the plant by Mr. Colebrooke in the Linnæan Transactions, and Dr. Roxburgh in his Flora Indica, from specimens and information communicated to those Indian botanists from Ceylon by General Macdowall. A notion had prevailed, derived from the name of the Calumba or Columbo plant or root, that it was derived from Columbo in Ceylon, and a native of that island. At length, as shown in the Bot. Mag., Tab. 2970, 2971, it was ascertained that the true plant was a native of Mozambique, where it is known by the name of Kalumb, or Kalumba. General Macdowall then sent our present plant to his scientific correspondents in order to ascertain whether this, much celebrated in the Cinghalese Pharmacopoeia, was not the true Calumba-root, and for that purpose consigned a pretty large bit of the root, sawed from the centre of a knot, to Dr. Roxburgh, that he might make experiments with it. Dr. Roxburgh, in a note, Fl.Indica, vol. iii., p. 811, at once sets the question at rest: "This is certainly not the Calumba-root of our Materia Medica." Nevertheless there have been large importations and ready purchasers for the Ceylon drug into England, the real properties or virtues of which (belonging though the plants do, to the same Natural Family) are, to say the least, very problematical. *The condyle is an extension of the placenta, sometimes internal, but mostly an external feature, offering an excellent and constant generic character of some importance in this family. Miers. To Mr. Miers we are indebted for the above amended generic character of Coscinium, which he has prepared, with a complete analysis of figures, for his Memoir on the Menispermacea, and where the specific characters of three additional species will be given. † In the Flora Indica it is implied that the roots (not the stem) are employed, as is the case with the true Calumba-root. Vol. x., p. 321. January, 1851. On an article imported as Calumba Wood, supposed to be the produce of a Menispermum. S[Note by Mr. Hanbury].—This is incorrect. The Calumba Wood, I believe, proved unsaleable. D. H. It now only remains for us to give Mr. Thwaites's remarks and descriptions in his own words: "This species is very abundant near the sea-coast in Ceylon, and occurs also in the Central Province. The specimens from which the accompanying figure was taken, were procured about twelve miles from Kandy. The Cinghalese value this plant very highly, using a decoction of the knotty parts of the stems (not the roots) as a tonic and anthelmintic. The wood yields an inferior yellow dye." Thw. Some further remarks on the uses of this plant are given by Mr. Thwaites in a letter (dated Peradenia, August 14, 1851) to Mr. Hanbury, in reply to some queries of that gentleman. "The Menispermum fenestratum, Roxb., is taken here I am told by an intelligent native, mixed with other things, in a great many complaints, and applied externally in some cases, such as for weak eyes, &c. The mode of preparing it, is to chop up the wood at the knots of the stem very small, and to boil it (with other things, which was particularly impressed upon me) in seven measures of water, until they are evaporated down to one measure. It seems to be one of the numerous universal medicines employed here in any and every complaint. It is quite impossible to get at any definite information from the natives as to what particular complaints certain plants are useful in. The priests, who are the doctors, appear to me to mystify the poor people by directing them to take certain leaves and roots which it often gives them no little trouble to find; and I think that the mind being employed in the matter, as well as the bodily exercise the patient often takes to procure the valued remedies, and a certain mixture of faith, have more to do with the cure than the drugs, some of which are evidently perfectly valueless except to feed cattle." COSCINIUM FENESTRATUM, Colebr. 1. Portion of a branch with male heads. 2. Male flower. 3. Female flower. 4. Fruits. DESCR.-Trunk and large branches scandent, stout, thick, ligneous, and knotty. The wood of a deep, lively yellow colour, and of a pleasant bitter taste. Leaves alternate, petioled, cordate, entire, five or seven-nerved, smooth and shining above, very hoary underneath, sometimes acuminate, sometimes obtuse; from three to nine inches long, and from two to six inches broad; in young plants frequently peltate. Petioles shorter than the leaves, round, downy. Umbellets or heads of flowers axillary, several from the same bud, on thick round downy peduncles of about an inch in length. Flowers numerous, subsessile, villous, of a brownish green. Sepals brown, villous; the three interior larger, pale within, and reflexed. Male. Heads of flowers smaller than in the female plant. Stamens six; the three inner cohering nearly to their summits; the three exterior nearly free, somewhat recurved. Fem. Sterile filaments strap-shaped, hairy. Styles much reflexed, becoming dark brown. Drupes nearly round, villous, of the size of a large filbert. As the fruit advances in size, the very short pedicel of the original flower lengthens into a pretty long, stout, cylindric, villous pedicel, ending in a round-headed receptacle, on which the one to three drupes are situated, surrounded by the permanent calyx.-Thw.-Curtis's Botanical Magazine, July, 1852. [Since the above was in type, we have been informed that eighty bales of the wood of Coscinium fenestratum, catalogued as " Colombo Root," were offered for sale in the city within the last few weeks.-Ed. of the Pharm. Journ.] ON THE OCCURRENCE OF BERBERINE IN THE COLUMBA WOOD OF CEYLON, THE MENISPERMUM [COSCINIUM] FENESTRATUM OF BOTANISTS. BY JAMES D. PERRINS, ESQ. THE following investigation was made in the chemical laboratory of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, under the immediate supervision of Dr. John Stenhouse. Dr. Stenhouse having had for some time past a quantity of wood of the Menispermum fenestratum in his possession, suggested to me this investigation. I am anxious, therefore, to acknowledge my obligation to him, not only for the material, but also for several valuable suggestions in the course of the inquiry. Hitherto the chief source of the alkaloid berberine has been the root of the barbery, Berberis vulgaris. Bödeker, however, about four years ago, ascertained its existence in the columba root of pharmacy, the Cocculus palmatus, where it occurs in small quantity associated with columbine. The following remark is made in the Chemical Gazette for 1849, vol. vii., p. 150:-" The occurrence of berberine in Berberis and Cocculus is remarkable in a physiological point of view. Bartling places both of these families, the Menispermeæ and Berberideæ, in the class of the Cocculine, which is in accordance with the fact of both containing the same principle." As berberine has now also been found in another of the Menispermeæ, the accuracy of Bartling's view seems to be greatly confirmed. The following was the process adopted for the extraction of berberine from the Menispermum fenestratum. A quantity of the wood, which had a bright yellow colour resembling that of quercitron, was rasped, and then treated with successive portions of boiling water till it had become nearly tasteless. The aqueous decoction acquired a deep yellow colour and an intensely bitter taste. It was next evaporated carefully to the consistence of an extract, then introduced into a flask and boiled with ten or twelve times its bulk of rectified spirit of wine, filtered while hot, and the residue boiled with a further quantity of spirits, which dissolved the berberine, and also a quantity of resinous matter by which it was accompanied. The alcoholic solution was then introduced into a retort, and the spirit carefully distilled off, until the residue on agitation appeared to have nearly the consistence of oil of vitriol. It was then set aside in an open vessel, and in the course of twenty-four hours the liquid became filled with a mass of impure crystals. After draining off the mother-liquor, these crystals were washed with a small quantity of cold spirit, redissolved in boiling alcohol, and set aside to crystallize. Their complete purification was attempted by repeated crystallizations. It was found, however, that a small quantity of resinous matter adhered obstinately to the crystals, causing them to remain of a brownish-yellow colour. This brownish tint was ultimately entirely removed by solution in spirit of wine and digestion with a little purified animal charcoal, the pure berberine crystallizing from the solution in beautiful bright yellow needles. The crystals were found to contain nitrogen, and their behaviour with various reagents corresponded exactly with those of berberine. As these crystals were very soluble in boiling water, a quantity of them was dissolved in that menstruum; and on the addition of the requisite amount of hydrochloric acid, a crystalline precipitate was immediately obtained in the form of long, slender, golden-coloured needles, of a fine silky lustre. This salt was dried in a water-bath at 212° Fah., and subjected to analysis with the following results: 6.25 grs., ignited with chromate of lead, gave 14.398 grs. of carbonic acid and 3.2 grs. of water. The nitrogen was determined by Wills's method. 8.18 grs. of salt gave 4.94 grs. of the double chloride of platinum and ammonium. The chlorine was determined as chloride of silver. 3.59 grs. gave 13.5 grs. of chloride of silver. Hydrochlorate of Berberine. Calculated numbers. Found numbers. ......... 177 442 1000 62.75 ... 62.79 5.67 ... ... 3.78 5019 8.85 19.90 100.00 These results correspond pretty closely with the formula of hydrochlorate of berberine, which, when dried at 212° Fah., contains one equiv. of water, and is consequently C42 HCI+HO. NO 9? The hydrogen in this determination is considerably too high, which, however, is easily accounted for, as the hydrochlorate of berberine, after being dried in the water-bath, is eminently hygroscopic, and consequently absorbs moisture rapidly while being mixed with the chromate of lead. This observation has already been made by Fleitmann, who, while analysing this salt, obtained an equally great excess of hydrogen. A quantity of the double platinum salt was also prepared by mixing a solution of the hydrochlorate of berberine with one of chloride of platinum. The compound obtained corresponded precisely in its appearance and properties with the salt prepared in the same way by Fleitmann. 2.80 grs. of salt gave 0.49 gr. of platinum=17.5 per cent., the calculated quantity being 17.55 per cent. A small quantity of the acid chromate of berberine was also prepared by adding a solution of bichromate of potash to one of hydrochlorate of berberine. The salt which precipitated likewise perfectly agreed in its properties with the acid chromate examined by Fleitmann. The results of these analyses and reactions leave no doubt as to the identity of the alkaloid, and also serve to corroborate the correctness of Fleitmann's formula for berberine, which I briefly subjoin : 8 Berberine crystallized at the ordinary temperature...CH, NO,+12HO. The hydrochlorate dried at 212° Fah... The Menispermum fenestratum is, according to Ainslie, a large tree, which is very common in Ceylon, and an infusion of which has long been employed by the Cinghalese as a valuable tonic bitter. Gray, in his Supplement to the Pharmacopoeia, informs us that this tree is known to the Cinghalese by the names of Woniwol and Bangwellzetta. Berberine may easily be obtained in very considerable quantity from columba wood, the whole of which it pervades, and of which it is the colouring principle; and if, as I suspect, the resinous matter accompanying it consists chiefly of altered berberine, improved methods of extraction, such for instance as the employment of a vacuum pan apparatus, would in all probability still further augment the amount of product. I am informed that berberine is employed as a remedial agent on the continent, but its scarcity seems hitherto to have prevented its introduction into the medical practice of this country. As a good source for it has now been pointed out, it may be expected that berberine will take its place with the other alkaloids in our materia medica. To prevent misconception from the similarity of names, it may perhaps be well to remark, that berberine and bebeerine are very different substances,-the latter being the active principle of the bark of the bebeeree tree of Guaiana, and as yet has not been obtained in a crystalline form.—Philosophical Mag., August. St. Bartholomew's Hospital, July 20, 1852. ON THE CONSTITUENTS OF THE HERB OF GALIUM VERUM AND GALIUM APARINE. IN continuing his examination of the plants belonging to the family Rubiaceæ, the author selected as representatives of the sub-division Stellatæ, the two above-mentioned plants. He discovered in them several substances by which other plants of this family are characterized, and also a peculiar acid, which, by its composition, is allied to the series of tannic acids already discovered in this family. The method by which he proceeded, was the same as has been followed in his former experiments. The decoctions of the herb were first precipitated by means of a solution of sugar of lead, and the greenish-yellow precipitate thus obtained contained a large proportion of citric acid, a small quantity of tannic acid, and inorganic acids combined with oxide of lead. The subsequent precipitate produced with the basic acetate of lead, evinced, by its lively chrome-yellow colour, a larger proportion of tannic acid. If the decanted liquor be precipitated by ammonia, a whitish mass falls down, which, besides a large quantity of basic acetate of lead, contains rubichloric acid, described some time ago by Rochleder and by the author. The question was now to obtain the tannic acid as a pure compound with lead, as there were no means of producing other combinations from which the composition of the acid could be determined. Moreover, the incapability of the pure acids to crystallize, the difficulty of freeing them from water, and the facility with which they are oxidized, rendered these lead compounds compared with the analyses of the hydrates, alone available for obtaining a formula. The composition appears to be C14 Hs O10+ HO, which formula is calculated from the analyses of the lead compounds, which have been obtained from galium gathered at different times. Galitannic Acid.-If the chrome-yellow, well exhausted, air-dried precipitate, thrown down by basic acetate of lead in the decoction of the herb (after the precipitate produced by sugar of lead has been removed) be decomposed under strong spirit of wine by sulphuretted hydrogen, the excess of sulphuretted hydrogen, as well as any portion of citric acid separated from the liquid by complete precipitation with sugar of lead, and the tannic acid combined with oxide of lead by the addition of acetate of lead, a beautifully yellow substance is obtained, which, being decomposed by sulphuretted hydrogen, yields the pure acid, the watery solution of which possesses a bitterish astringent taste, assumes with chloride of iron a green colour, and with alkalies and ammonia, in consequence of the speedy oxidation, a brownish colour. Neutral acetate of lead affects it but slightly, basic acetate of lead precipitates it completely of a yellow colour. Acetate of copper produces a dirty brown precipitate, which is, however, not suited for analysis. Its relation to the other metallic salts is the same as that of the other tannic acids, with which it shares almost all other properties. When heated, it is rapidly decomposed, and burns with an empyreumatic, somewhat saccharine smell. It is composed of C1 H8 O10+ HO, as deduced from the analyses of the various combinations of lead, which, prepared at different times, have always been constant. These compounds of lead, must, however, be dried in a vacuum, because they assume at 100° a green colour, and attain a higher degree of oxidization. The lead compound contains in 100 parts |