The most active workers in the field of synthetic formation of the alkaloids have been Wischnegradsky, of St. Petersburg—­who, unfortunately for science, died at an untimely age in 1880—­Koenigs and Fischer, of Munich, and Ladenburg, of Kiel.  The study of the decomposition products of the cinchona alkaloids especially points quite distinctly to the probable existence in quinine of a hydrogen addition product of pyridine, in combination with a methyl-quinoline group.  The many experiments that are now being made to test this and other questions that suggest themselves, will not long leave us in the dark.  Whether a practical commercial synthesis of quinine will follow is another matter, but it is within the bounds of possibility, or perhaps even of probability.

It must not be supposed that no syntheses of alkaloids have been effected as yet.  By heating butyl-aldehyde with alcoholic ammonia is formed paraconine, an alkaloid isomeric with the natural conine, but differing in physiological action.  By the action of sodium upon pyridine is produced a compound C_{10}H_{8}N_{2}, known as dipyridyl, and this, under the influence of nascent hydrogen, takes up six atoms and becomes isonicotine C_{10}H_{14}N_{2}, a physiologically active alkaloid, isomeric with the true nicotine.  The formation of a series of alkaloids under the name of codeines, by the substitution of other organic radicals instead of methyl in the codeine reaction, has already been alluded to. Atropine can be formed by uniting tropine and tropic acid, the two decomposition products already noted.  The latter of these products is already shown to be capable of synthetical formation, and the other will no doubt be formed in the same way.  The artificial atropine is identical with the natural alkaloid.  Ladenburg has also formed a series of artificial alkaloids, called tropeines, by uniting the base tropine with different organic acids, as in the case of the compound of mandelic acid and tropine, known as homatropine, an alkaloid of action similar to atropine, but possessing some decided advantages in its use. Piperine has also been made by the uniting of piperidine and piperic acid, and, as piperidine has already been formed from pyridine, we have here a true synthesis also.  Both theobromine and caffeine, its methyl derivative, have been made from xanthine, which itself can be formed from guanine, a constituent of guano.

We may conclude from this reference to what has been done in the last few years, that the reproach mentioned in first speaking of the alkaloids as a class, that almost nothing was known of their constitution, will not long remain, and that as their molecular structure is laid bare in these studies now being made, keen-sighted chemists will effect their artificial formation.  When these most valuable compounds can be made by exact methods, in a state of entire purity, and at a cost much below that paid for the present extraction of them from relatively rare plants, organic chemistry will have placed all of us under obligations as great as those owing any branch of science, no matter how practical we call it.—­Amer.  Jour. of Pharmacy.