Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/39

Rh given, which checked the periodicity of the fever. Of the 14 cases of ague, 8 were in-patients, whose cases were carefully noted ; 6 were out-patients. Of these, it is recorded that they did not come after the first day, perhaps because the fever had declined ; 4 of the patients had enlarged spleen, but no effect in that organ was detected."

Dr. Chas. Bancroft, Civil Medical Officer, Garo Hills, who used the Tincture, reported it.

"A valuable remedy in diarrhœa and dysentery : in the latter disease it proved very beneficial in advanced cases, and was found most efficient as a " stomachic " in restoring alimentary tone in convalescence and debility, following malarial fevers."

"In the form of a mixture only, combined with Tincture of Opium (m. x) in dysentery, and with the Infusion of Gentian in bowel complaints (diarrhœa), and with official bitters (chiretta), orange peel and Nux-Vomica, as an alterative and tonic.

Doses.— In dysentery 3i doses with Tinct. of Opium, m. x made up with Peppermint water, thrice daily.

In diarrhœa 3 SS close with Spts. Chloroform and Infusion Gentian, every 4 hours.

As alterative tonic 3 i doses, combined with orange peel, Nux-Vomica and Aqua Chloroformi.

Chemical composition. — In 1875, Jobst and Hesse exhausted the powdered bark with petroleum ether, and then extracted, by boiling alcohol, the salt of an alkaloid, which they called Ditamine. After the evaporation of the alcohol, it is precipitated by carbonate of sodium and dissolved by ether, from which it is removed by shaking it with acetic acid. Ditamine as again isolated from the acetate forms an amorphous and somewhat crystalline, bitterish powder of decidedly alkaline character ; the bark yields about 0.02 per cent, of it.

From the substances extracted by means of petroleum ether, as above stated, Jobst and Hesse further isolated (I) Echicaoutchin, C25H40O2 2, an amorphous yellow mass ; (2) Echicerin, C52H45O2, forming acicular crystals, melting at 157° C. : (3) Echitin, C52H52O2 , crystallized scales, melting at 170° ; (4) Echitein, C42H70O2 which forms rhombic prisms, melting at 195°, ; (5) Echiretin, C35H56O2 , an amorphous substance, melting at 52°C.

Echicaoutchin may be written thus : (C5H8)5O2, echicerin (C5H8 )5O2. echiretin (C5H8 )7O2 ; these formulæ at once point out how nearly the three last named substances are allied. They are probably constituents of the milky juice of the tree. ( Pharmacographia, 2nd Ed., p. 422.)

Hesse has since separated from Dita bark two other bases, Echitamine and Echitenine. He now reports that Ditamine exists in the bark in the proportion of 0.04 per cent. It is readily soluble in dilute acids, and differs from the alkaloids associated with it in being precipitated from its acid solutions by ammonia. Its formula deduced from the analysis of its platinochloride, is C15H19NO2.