Kansas Physician Confirms Howard Report

[Mayerling]

Hi Tradenames,

I wrote an essay (which was one of a collection that did not get published together, but several have been published seperately) about the Powell Mystery. It really is not a mystery but it is a curious story in aviation history, and it has been blown out of proportion by sensationalists. It was a combination of factors - the storm rising up on what seemed a pleasant day for the ballooning episode, an becoming so fierce, and the attempt (at Bridport) where the Saladin managed to anchor to get the three men out. Bystanders were trying to hold the anchor line as long as they could to allow Agg - Gardiner (whose brother was another Member of Parliament), Captain Templer, and Powell to jump. Instead Agg-Gardiner jumped safely, but Templer (in jumping) broke his arm. Powell hesitated (possibly due to seeing what happened to Templer, but also possibly because he was (believe it or not) afraid of heights!). The men on the ground could no longer hold onto the balloon without endangering themselves, and it broke away from their grip with Powell still in the balloon car. He and the "Saladin" went out to sea, and nothing further was seen of Powell. There were the typical sitings of the balloon all over the English Channel, but also as far north as Scotland. It is reminiscent of the various "eye-witness" accounts of sitings of the 1897 balloon that carried the Polar explorer Andree and his two companions to their doom (which occurred on White Island, nowhere near the supposed sitings of 1897). Some wreckage of the "Saladin" was reported to have been found in the mountains of Spain in 1883.

Jeff

[TradeName]

Jeff,

It appears that the Balloon Society hosted lectures on a wide variety of topics.

The Medium and Daybreak, January 5, 1883, Page 11

THE BALLOON SOCIETY'S SCIENTIFIC LECTURES.

On Friday evening, December 29, Mr. John Pearce, a well-known advocate of Temperance, and recently editor of "House and Home," of which journal he was the founder, delivered a Lecture, entitled "Health: What it is, and how to maintain it," at tho Aquarium, Westminster, on behalf of the Balloon Society of Great Britain. A commodious hall in an elevated region of the building was well occupied with a highly intelligent and deeply interested audience. The lecture was a most valuable one, and ought to appear in print. It dealt in the most progressive spirit with health quostions of an advanced character. It was cheering to observe, during the discussion at the close, how popular certain notions have now become, such as Vegetarianism, Teetotalism, Anti-tobacco, Anti-salt, Hydropathy, etc. Mr. Pearce's lecture was well received, and the after speakers almost wholly agreed with him on every point. The brilliant speech of Miss Chandos Leigh Hunt was warmly applauded.

It being the last meeting in 1882, the president of tho society, Mr. W. H. Le Fevre, C.E., made a few seasonable remarks. He described it as "the Popular Scientific Society." During the year, their weekly meetings had been continued without interruption, except on one occasion, when the lecturer appointed was taken suddenly ill. No other scientific society in London had maintained such a steady course. A great breadth of topics had been warmly discussed before large audiences.

A vote of thanks was passed to the managers of the Aquarium for the use of the hall, also to Mr. Le Fevre, for his indefatigable efforts to maintain tho high standard of the lectures, and his regular attendance.

We entertain a warm sympathy with this society. It is thoroughly progressive, deeming no form of scientific truth unsuitable for its consideration. Like Spiritualism, it—from an elevation—as from a balloon—looks down upon all topics perpendicularly, which, to those short-sighted people amongst them, may appear heterogeneous, and thus, without bias, inquires into their merits and defines their relations. The. Annual Subscription is only 5s. per annum, and the office is at 26, Budge Row, Cannon Street, E.C.

--end

I don't have any information about why Springmuhl specifically was selected.

It looks like the Balloon Society did discuss the Powell situation:

The Spectator, Volume 54, December 24, 1881, Page 1635

There is no positive news of Mr. Walter Powell's fate, but in his case, no news is only too certainly bad news. Indeed, the finding of part of the mahogany frame of a thermometer used by him in the balloon in the sea, near Bridport, points to the very strong probability that the balloon did fall into the sea, as the best aeronauts seem to think that, from the insufficiency of the gas left in the balloon, it must have done. At the meeting of the Balloon Society held yesterday week at the Aquarium, there was a tendency to blame Captain Templer and Mr. Agg-Gardner for abandoning their companion, i.e., for so suddenly lightening the balloon as to render its shooting-up into the lowering clouds inevitable, though there was no supply of gas to keep it in the air. But on this subject we have not yet heard Captain Templer's and Mr. Agg-Gardner's own account, and we do not in the least believe that they did "abandon" him. The original account was that they were jerked out of the car, and the a priori doubt expressed in the Balloon Society whether they "could have been" jerked out of it, looks like the invincible desire to find some one to blame which an Englishman is apt to feel under an irreparable calamity. Why should there be in Englishmen a sense of compensation for loss in the right to scold?

[Mayerling]

[QUOTE=TradeName;271718]A longer account of the aconitine experiments. Notice that Ferdinand Springmuhl claims an "M.D."

Medical Press and Circular (London), May 24, 1882, Pages 439-441

ON ACONITINE POISONING.
By FERDINAND SPRINGMUHL, M.A., M.D.

Lecture delivered May 5th, 18S2.

Hi Trade Winds,

I have two questions. First, why would the Balloon Society have any interest in aconite poisoning in May 1882 (granted it is shortly after the trial and execution of Dr. George Henry Lamson for the murder of his brother-in-law Percy Johns by aconite). Second, why was Dr. Springmuhl addressing the Balloon Society? Was he interested in the only area of successful aviation at the time? I might add (though it is just a thrown in point here), if the Balloon Society met in May 1882 to discuss a mystery or problem it would have been the disappearance (in December 1881) of Walter Powell, Member of Parliament for Malmsberry, in the baloon "Saladin" that he was riding in with two others (who managed to jump out in time) during a sudden storm. Powell's body was never found (possibly some of the balloon turned up in Spain later on).

Jeff

[TradeName]

A California lab was able to produce passable wine from samples obtained from the Geyserville plant.

Reports of Experiments on Methods of Fermentation and Related Subjects During the Years 1886-1887 (Sacramento: 1888), Pages 45-46
by California Agricultural Experiment Station, Eugene Woldemar Hilgard

RED WINE PROM CONDENSED MUST

BY THE SPRINGMUHL PROCESS.

In view of the interest attaching to evaporated must and pomace preserved according to Springmuhl's process, as opening a market for grapes without the heavy investments required for wineries, I think it proper to communicate at this time the results of an experiment made during the past season, with a barrel sample of the condensed must (with pomace) sent to the University Laboratory from the Geyserville factory, by Dr. Springmuhl.

It should be stated that the arrangements at the factory were far from being altogether satisfactory, on account of the haste in which the various appliances had to be gotten together. While the condensers worked as well as could be desired, there was a deficiency in press power, in consequence of which the pomace could not be pressed as dry as is really required for the best results; nor could the two condensers be worked up to their full capacity. The grapes supplied to the factory could not be selected at leisure but had to be taken as offered, without nice discrimination in respect to kind and even quality. A good deal of the stock supplied would, under the ordinary treatment in wineries, and in the absence of pasteurizing arrangements, certainly have yielded very inferior and unsound wine. The entire work was therefore conducted under the most unfavorable conditions, and a satisfactory outcome will weigh heavily in favor of the value of this method of utilizing our surplus of grapes that cannot find winery accommodation.

The contents of the package, at first sight resembling grape preserve, consisted of evaporated must or grape syrup already mixed with the proper proportion of skins or pomace; as was ascertained by a special determination. The grapes represented were, according to Dr. Springmuhl's statement, about half-and-half Zinfandel (first crop) and "Burgundy." The identity of the grape so called I have been unable to ascertain; it was doubtless not a Pinot, but probably Chauche Noir, possibly Trousseau. The light color of the wine speaks of some such light-tinted grape.

The spindle showed the solid contents of the syrup to be 72.6 per cent; acid (as tartaric) 1.17 per cent.

On November seventeenth (about a month after receipt of the package) 33 gallons of the condensed must, plus skins, were reduced by the addition of 60 gallons of distilled water, to 24.2 per cent of solid contents and .39 of acid. This regenerated grape mash was divided out among three tanks, for convenience of testing several modes of fermentation. All were " set" at a temperature of 63°, and placed in the fermenting room kept at 72° to 75°. All three were provided with the floating cover; one was treated with ordinary "foulage" from the beginning, three times daily; the two others were stirred by means of air-pumping during the first two days, then simply stirred as usual.

It soon became apparent that all fears as to the automatic starting of the fermentation were groundless. Within 18 hours a perfectly normal fermentation was going on in all three tanks; but one (started 18 hours after the others), from some cause, lagged a little and reached its maximum temperature, as well as the 4 per cent of solid contents determined upon

as the mark for drawing off, 18 hours later in actual time. The maximum temperatures attained were respectively 91.5°, 92.5°, and 93°, reached by the first two tanks on the morning of the fourth day. After that the temperature rapidly declined, and the pressing was done respectively after the lapse of 115, 120, and 146 hours; the tank subjected to ordinary stirring being the first to come in.

The fermentation was so completely normal that no one would have suspected that the mash was not made from fresh grapes; and that despite the fact that the must had undergone evaporation at a temperature too hot for the hand to bear, and which would ordinarily be supposed to paralyze or kill all fermentative germs. Yet evidently here there was no lack of them, and no yeast of any kind was needed for starting. The table below gives the summary record of the course of fermentation, as well as the analysis of the wine.

The wine was quite light-colored, the maximum tint being 16.6, reached on the fourth day. At pressing the tint had already declined to 12.5 in the first two tanks, and had hardly changed from the maximum (of 14.6) in the third. The cause of this difference is not obvious; it disappeared afterward.

In the after-fermentation, also, these wines behaved normally; and on February 7th they were racked and combined into one sample of 70 gallons, there being no difference worth noting in the three packages.

At this time the wine showed to the taste a curious combination of advanced vinosity with the yeastiness of the new wine, and its very marked astringency was coupled with a slight bitterness that seemed to augur ill for the quality of the wine.

Thenceforth it was frequently tasted, and the gradual disappearance of the bitterness first noted was evident. At the beginning of June the wine was again racked; an examination of the sediment at this time showed complete soundness.

A tasting record of June 16th, states that "the bouquet is developing; astringency pronounced, but pleasant; acid agreeable; no bitterness remaining." (M. E. Jaffa.)

A somewhat critical tasting made by the writer on July 11th, was recorded as follows: "Fairly developed bouquet and vinosity; acid normal and agreeable; no mark of unsoundness; wine, as a whole, well developed for its age, and of very fair quality and clean taste; has lost completely the bitterness first noted, and while showing little of the characteristic Zinfandel bouquet, would not be suspected of any unusual procedure in its preparation."

Under the circumstances, this result must be considered a very favorable one. It is true that the wine shows no high quality, but will be a good, ordinary table wine, a great deal better than those commonly dispensed in restaurants, or even in more ambitious places. With the materials used, few wine-makers would have succeeded in producing anything better, if as good. What can be done with perfected appliances and selected materials remains to be seen; but the advantage of having the making of the wine transferred to establishments able to employ competent wine-makers, and to conduct the operations leisurely, and at whatever place and time that may offer the best conditions for a good fermentation, is so great, that for the sake of good, uniform quality, some of the higher attributes of wines may willingly be waived by the majority of consumers. Doubtless the Springmuhl process will not make "Chateau" wines, but it seems very likely to redound to "the greater good of the greater number."

--end

The Geyserville plant didn't operate in 1889.

The San Francisco Merchant (1890), link


Volume: v.22-23 / Mar. 15, 1889 - Feb. 22, 1890
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : San Francisco Merchant Pub. Co.
Possible copyright status: NOT_IN_COPYRIGHT
Language: English
Digitizing sponsor: The Wine Librarians Association
Book contributor: San Francisco Public Library
Collection: internetarchivebooks; americana
Scanfactors: 64

October 22, 1889, Page 4

NOT RUNNING

The American Concentrated Must Company's Plant Closed

The condensing plant of the American
Must Company at Geyserville did not run
this year.

The stoppage however is only for this
season. The company desired to have all
go well with its wines made in London
from the must before making up any more
grapes.

The wines in question are all doing well
but being very young (all of'88s) they are
not intended for sale. They are stored in
a cellar in London and will be held some
time before marketing. They fermented
well and the managers of the company are
confident that their business will be all
they expected, once the wines are ready for
sale.

--end

Report from 1893 which indicates that the Geyserville plant had done well the last two seasons.

Grape syrup: appendix A to the annual report of the Board of State Viticultural Commissioners for 1893 (Sacramento: 1893), Pages 9-10
by California. Board of State Viticultural Commissioners

CHAPTER IV.

AMERICAN CONCENTRATED MUST COMPANY'S WORKS.

The works of the American Concentrated Must Company, which are located at Geyserville, are admirably suited for the manufacture of syrup, although they were originally erected for making concentrated grape must for shipment to Eastern States and to Europe. These works are in operation during every vintage, and in the fall of 1892 about two thousand tons of grapes was handled. The must is taken while it ran from, say 20 to 22 per cent of sugar, and the concentration is brought to 80 per cent strength, the product being a pasty mass, which is shipped in barrels to the buyers, whether East or abroad. No attempt is made to remove the acid from the must, and indeed this is not desired, as the must is used in ordinary wine making on arrival at its destination, and the acid is naturally wanted by the buyers. With a device for removing the acid, consisting of settling tubs and some lime, and with pains taken not to carry the degree of concentration so high as at present, an excellent syrup can be produced at the factory.

Figs. 4 and 5 show half-tone plates of the interior of these works, taken from a photograph. The apparatus consists of two large vacuum pans, the construction of which is shown in Fig. 6. In the works the vacuum pump is between the two pans, and not as shown in Fig. 6; but this is merely a matter of detail, and is of no consequence. The pans are strongly built; hold about two thousand gallons each, and are tinned on the inside to prevent corrosion by the acid. In the bottom is shown a series of tubes, through which steam passes, and which brings about the boiling of the must. The size of the pans is shown in Fig. 6, together with details as to the size of the condenser.

When the apparatus is put into operation grape must is introduced. Steam is then turned in through the tubes, and the vacuum pump is put into operation. The atmospheric pressure inside of the pans is reduced to such a point that the must often boils at a temperature of 115° and 120° F. The steam which passes off is condensed in the condenser by a continuous stream of cold water. Care must be taken that the must always covers the tubes in the bottom of the pan during the operation. When the must reaches the desired state of concentration it is drawn off. Fresh 'must is introduced at any time desired, by the suction arising from the work of the vacuum pump.

The details of the construction of the pan will be seen from the drawing in Fig. 6, and the plates, Figs. 4 and 5. This apparatus was designed by Dr. Ferdinand Von Springmuhl, and while the company which operates it was not immediately successful, the last two seasons have been all that the stockholders could desire. The company is now contemplating constructing a new apparatus from drawings by Baron A. Von Schilling, who has charge of the Geyserville property. This new apparatus will be built in accordance with some new ideas which several years of experience have shown to the Directors of the company. The concentration in vacuo is not the only point which is considered by this company in making their must, and other apparatus is needed for preparing the juice before condensing, in order to make the best quality of must now desired by the wine makers of Europe. The cenologists of Europe say that the best wine, from a hygienic standpoint, can surely be made from the must, and the ready sale which the American company has had for the product will undoubtedly deter them from engaging in syrup making. They have made a success of their must, and have no reason to change for the present.



--end

[TradeName]

A viticulture trade journal chronicled Springmuhl's trips to California in 1887. The most interesting item is the last about the building of a plant in Clairville (Geyserville). There seems to have been more substance to this enterprise than Sweeney implies in his Strand article.

The San Francisco Merchant (1887), link

Volume: v.18 / Apr. 29, 1887 - Oct. 14, 1887
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : San Francisco Merchant Pub. Co.
Possible copyright status: NOT_IN_COPYRIGHT
Language: English
Digitizing sponsor: The Wine Librarians Association
Book contributor: San Francisco Public Library
Collection: internetarchivebooks; americana
Scanfactors: 16

The San Francisco Merchant, May 13, 1887, Page 19

Concentrated Must

(S. F. Chronicle.)

Los Angeles, May 10. — An agreement
made to-day between Dr. Springmuhl Von
Weissenfeld and J. Debarth Shorb, is of
great interest to the grape growers and
wine makers. Dr. Weisstnfeld represents a
system of concentrating wine must, which
reduces it nearly 50 per cent., enabling it
to be shipped inexpensively to any point
and there made into wine. The agreement
gives Shorb the use of the patent
in the United States. He said to-night:
"Now that the matter has been arranged
definitely I shall go ahead and have the
business working by next vintage. It will
give California unlimited market for her
grapes and enable her wines to be intio-
duced into Europe. Dr. Von Weissenfeld's
company agree to take all the wine which
we can make. The process will not only
benefit this portion of the State, but
will inevitably make the whole State the
greatest wine country in the world.

----

Dr. Ferdinand Springmuhl, who is interested
in the formation of a company for
condensing must, has arrived in California
Mid is now on a visit to Los Angeles.


May 27, 1887, Page 38

CONDENSED MUST.

Concerning the movements and propositions
of Dr. Springmuhl, whom we have
unfortunately been unable to see personally
since his return from the various sections
of the State, the Examiner says:

As is pretty well known by careful readers
of the dispatches. Dr. Springmuhl has
recently spent some time in Los Angeles
and at Fresno, in looking up the wine
interests, and in casting about for a location
for at least one plant of machinery for making
grapes into condensed must, a process
of which he is the famous inventor.

An inspection of those localities being
made, the doctor visited the vineyards of
Sonoma, Napa and Sacramento counties,
including the great Vina ranch of Senator
Stanford which is just now in charge of the
successful vineyardist, H. W. Mclntyre.

"I went up there," said Dr. Springmuhl,
just before leaving on his return to his
home in London, "to see about establishing
works for the condensed must process. We
have concluded to put one plant in Northern
California, and one in the south. J. De
Barth Shorb has, by special arrangements
with me, arranged to establish works at
Los Angeles, and I am to take all the
condensed must he can make,

"There may be, eventually, works estab-
lished at Fresno, too.

"I have met, in the brief week or so I
was north, nearly all the vineyardists of
that part of the State. I had long talks
with them.

THE MACHINERY.

"A plant of machinery for the reduction
of grapes in condensed must will be
established at one of the three points in Northern
California, probably in time for the handling
of this year's product. The places we
are considering are Senator Stanford's Vina
ranch, Natoma in Sacramento county and at
the location of the Swiss colony, near
Healdaburg.

"Vineyardists at all three points have
expressed a willingness to put money in
the plant, and I am expecting that they
will do so, but if they don't I will put it in
myself. The machinery costs about $25,000
and the whole plant about $100,000, and
eighty tons of grapes a day can be treated
with a force of but five men. On this there
would be a profit of from 25 to 33 per cent
by exporting to England.

"We would prefer not to build, but only
to buy the condensed must; but, as I said,
we will put in all the money ourselves if
the people at whichever place we select do
not do it.

"The condensed must process is a most
important consideration in the manufacture
of claret intended for export. In England,
as elsewhere, light, good clarets are highly
prized. I consider the matter more from a
scientific standpoint. I introduced the
condensed must process in Italy and Spain,
and the success there is very great. In
Italy from 2,000 to 3,000 tons are produced
during the season.

KEPT FRESH AND PURE.

"By this process the condensation, or
must, is always kept fresh and pure, and
being reduced to one-third its original bulk
an immense saving is made in transportation.
All you have to do is to add two-thirds
ore of water, and you have fresh
grape juice."

Dr. Springmuhl exhibited to the Examiner's
representative a small jar of the
condensed must. It was of a dark golden
color, looking much like thick, rich honey.
Although made three years ago, it seemed
just as fresh as though just manufactured.

"The skins are also preserved," said the
doctor, "by pressing them and mixing them
with the condensed grape juice. This process
has been used for some years now in
the southern European countries. The
must has been sent hitherto to France and
made into French wines and brandies, but
lately it is being sent to England. The
must on its arrival is taken and fermented
at once. The great advantage of the must
is in the reduced transportation and the
entire freedom from export duties.

"I think the condensed must process a
great thing for California, especially,
because you produce grapes so much cheaper
here than we do in Europe.

"I was very much pleased with what I
saw in Northern California, and I have no
hesitancy in saying that of the two sections
of the State I think Northern California far
better for wine growing than the south.
You can produce light fine wines and clarets
in the north, while they are heavy in the
south. I should say the north was by all
odds the best, in point of climate and other
essentials.

"I am going home to have a machine
made, and will bring it over as soon as
possible. I may have more than one made,
and I will return in September or October,
if they can be completed in time, as I hope
they can. I would prefer to make the
machines in San Francisco, and I think after I
get the first one or two to going here I may
arrange to do so, or at any rate to manu-
facture them in Chicago.

GOOD WINE IN DEMAND.

"As to a market and a demand for California
wines, there is no trouble about that.
Why, if you made all your grapes into as
good clarets and light wines as some I have
seen here, London alone would take, in a
single day, all you have got. The whole
crop of California would be little compared
with the demand.

"In Spain the condensed must plants of
machinery are portable and suited to the
grade of a railroad track, so that they may
be moved about at will."

Speaking of the machinery used in
condensing the must, the doctor said:

"The vacuum pump for the condensing
apparatus corresponds to the 'vacuum
pan' of the sugar refineries, with such
modifications as the special object demands.
As in sugar-boiling, the evaporation is
divided into two separate stages: a preliminarv
one, in which the fresh must is deprived of
about half its water, after having undergone
a preliminary warming up in an open vat.

The half-finished must is then transferred
to a second vacuum pan in which the
exhaustion is not only kept at the highest
possible point, but the operation is aided by
means of a revolving stirrer.

It is by this means possible to reduce the
must by a temperature not exceeding 104
degrees Fahrenheit.

"For the preservation of the pomace of
black grapes intended for the making of red
wines," said the doctor, "the latter is
pressed very dry and then, if possible,
dried a little in the air, it is then put in
casks and thoroughly mixed with the
concentrated sirup or must.

THE AIB PUMP.

"The air pump must be of the best
construction, and large enough to be thoroughly
effective."

Dr. Springmuhl several years ago issued
a work on the wines of Southern Europe,
which has ever since ranked as an authority.
He will now issue a volume on California
viticulture and will illustrate it by numer-
ous views of California vineyards, which
are to be furnished by a committee of nine
men specially delegated to make the collec-
tion.

The same committee will make a collection
of California wines and forward to Dr.
Springmuhl for analysis, the report of
which is to appear in the forthcoming
volume.

July 7, 1887, Page 88

The Santa Clara County Viticultura-
Society has been in communication with
Dr. Springmuhl, suggesting that the necessafy
plant to make condensed must be
placed in San Jose. Dr. Springmuhl's
reply was to the effect that Mr. J. de Barth
Shorb, who has the contract for the operation
of the machines, has formed a company
of capitalists in San Francisco where
a factory will be operated and that arrangements
could be made with this company.
This seems to indicate that Dr. Springmuhl
will not return here before the vintage, and
probably his own business at the vintage in
Europe will present his doing so.

July 22, 1887, Page 101

CONDENSED MUST

(San Francisco Bulletin)

J. de Barth Shorb, of San Gabriel, has
recently been in San Francisco completing
his arrangements for condensing must in
this State. Concerning the project of which
so much has been heard and of which
much is expected by viticulturists, he said:

"The proposition is simply that here in
this State grapes may be grown in nearly
every part, and that a market for them is
desired. We propose to offer that market
and take the grapes from the vlgneron at an
increased price over what they have been
receiving. It is a plan that when properly
developed must be of benefit to the whole
State. It is a mistake to think that we
have been planning it for the south part of
the State alone. It will benefit the vineyard
men in the northern part fully as
much. What is wanted now is for the
grape growers iu the different sections to
get together and organize so as to secure
one of these machines in their respective
districts.

"Our plan is to act exactly as an insurance
company. The grape growers, or vignerons
is a better term, who want to get
some of the benefits of this project, must
be willing to come forward and share some
of the risks of the venture, if any there
are. We have organized as 'The American
Concentrated Must Company.' It is not
incorporated yet. We have the exclusive
right to the Springmuhl process and the
use of his machines, not only iu California
but in the United States. We have a
capital of $1,000,000. The men in it are
Fred W. Sharon, who is with me in the
San Gabriel Wine Co., I. W. Hellman of
Los Angeles, Charles Webb Howard of the
Natoma Viueyard Company and myself.
Dr. Springmuhl came down south because
he knew that we would take hold of the
project aud put it through. He left us on
the best of terms, to go to London to
arrange for the manufacture of the machines
in readiness for this year's vintage and for
the disposal of the product. He tried to
get the machines made in Chicago and
New York, but could not do so, and we
finally arranged to have two made in this
city. Clot and Meese, machinists on
Fremont Street, are now making them according
to plans drawn up by Dr. Springmuhl.
They will each cost about $25,000. The
copper for the vacuum pans, the essential
part of the apparatus, arrived recently,
and the work is going forward rapidly.
The contract calls for the completion of
one of the machines by September 20th
and the other as soon thereafter daring the
vintage as possible.

"One of the machines will go south,
and one will remain here — that is, in one
of the northern vineyard districts. The
first one completed will not necessarily go
to the south; that depends. The machines
are expensive because elaborate. They are
elaborate that perfect results may be
secured. The peculiar advantage of the
process is that the grapes are submitted to
a heat in the vacuum pan no greater
than 140° Fahenheit, the necessary
evaporation and condensation being secured
at that temperature. The result is that
there is no cooked taste or disagreeable
flavor to the product, the condensed
must-—which has been the objection to
other processes. The quality of the wine
that is eventually to be made from this
product is not injured at all by the process.
I have seen and tasted wine made from this
must after four years, and I see no reason
why it could not be made successfully from
must that has been kept a longer time.
Each machine has several parts-—a grape-
crusher, an apparatus to extract the seeds
and another to press the skins. The skins
are pressed and shipped with the must.
Each of these machines will have a capacity
for disposing of about eighty tons of grapes
a day. The process of condensing is a
quick one. In about four hours from the
time the grapes from the vineyard are put
into the machine, the coudiused must will
be ready for shipment. It will be shipped
in barrels or casks direct to London. Claret-
grapes will be made use of chiefly, for claret
is the wine of the people. Some other
grapes may be used.

"I do not want to appear as over
sanguine in my opinions coucerning this plan.
I have simply stated the facts as they are.
I believe that here, by this process and the
arrangements made, is an opportunity for
the wines of California to enter European
markets, and the vigneron of this State
ought to take advantage of it. The point
of the whole matter of market is that this
goes into England and France without duty.
A company of equal financial responsibility
with the one of which I have spoken has
been formed to take all the must as fast as
we can produce it. I canuot say more
about that at present. The London
Company, of which Dr. Springmuhl belongs,
has agreed to take a proportion. That
company has been dealing with the grape
product of Italy, making the must by
ambulance concentrators, running the machines
on cars to various vineyard districts. I do
not think this ambulance process would be
best in this State. We plan, eventually, to
have a half-dozen, perhaps more, of these
machines in the different grape-prodncing
sections, to be owned by our company. Dr.
Springmuhl is now in London, but we
expect him to be here in time to personally
superintend the operating of one of the
machines at the beginning of the vintage. We
can guarantee that generally an increased
price will be paid for the grape products.
For instance, I told a Fresno man, who last
year sold his grapes for $9 a ton, that for
that quality of Grapes we could afford to
pay $15.

July 22, 1887, Page 105

Dr. Sprlngmuhl's Plans

Dr. F. Springmnhl writes to the MERCHANT
that he intends to visit California
again next year. In consequence of the
report he made upon the wines of
California, his friends in London have decided
to introduce the industry of the concentration
of grape must in this State in 1888. In
their opinion it would not be advisable to
hurry the matter and begin this year, as
they consider that there is not yet an over-
production of wines in California. Undeniable
proof for this statement is found, writes
Dr. Springmuhl, in the circumstance that
large quantities of wines, from four to five
years old, are not to be found in the cellars
either of wine producers or merchants. He
thinks, however, that in a few years there
will be a surplus of wine in the United
States as the consumption of wine is
unusually small because Americans do not yet
appreciate the importance of wines as a
dietetic.

September 30, 1887, Page 183

CALIFORNIA WINES

Their Value Recgnized by Competent Judges in Europe

Dr. Springmuhl, whose efforts toward a
practical application of his well-known
views upon the feasibility of concentrating
grape-must for exportation recently called
him to Europe, has just returned. While
there he took occassion to put samples of
the best qualities of California wines before
competent judges in London, Bordeaux and
Cologne, and their opinion of hocks and
wines of the Bordeaux type is highly
satisfactory, although he did not find the
sherries and ports generally regarded as equal
to the original Spanish and Portuguese
wines.

Dr. Springmuhl delivered a lecture on
California wines at the Langham Hall, London,
at which there was present four hundred
wholesale wine dealers. He illustrated
his remarks with samples. According to a
report in the London Times, he said:

France, up to the present time is the richest
of the wine producing countries in the
world, for many years has not been able to
satisfy the demand for pure red wines in
consequence of the ravages produced in her
vineyards by the phylloxera and other
enemies of the vine. France is obliged to
import more than 250,000,000 gollons of
wine annually, from Italy and Spain, for
her own consumption and for export. The
quality and purity of the red wines in the
world's market severely suffered through
this deficiency. The price of pure good
wines has risen, while at the same time
large quantity of artificial wine of the worst
quality has beeen brought into the market.
I am sorry to say that this state of things
has also produced a diminution of the sale
of red wines in general. The analysis of
the wines to be found in the London market
shows indeed a marked deterioration in
quality and many millions of gallons of
wine prepared from grapeskins and sugar
solutions, from currants and raisins, and
finally artificial wines, which contain no
element whatever of the grape, are drunk
as French wines, often to the detriment of
the consumers' health.

california's Stae Rising

While the star of France thus is on the
wane, a new star is rising in the far west.
The State of California, stretching from
north to south on the Pacific Ocean, has
proved during the last few years that it can
produce a variety of excellent wines, such
as we do not find in any other country
except France and Italy.

A noble result lies in this fact produced
by the effort of the principal viticulturists
and wine growers of the State, men of
untiring energy. A golden future shines upon
the country, for the product of the vine
can procure greater wealth than all the
shining gold which the gold diggers have
furnished since 1848.

The soil and climate equally favor wine
culture in California, and the rapid
development of the viticulture of this State
proves that the capabilities of California as
a wine-producing country have been
recognized by competent men.

We can form further conclusions from results
obtained up to the present time. It is
not too much to say that in the course of
twenty years California will stand at the
head of the wine producing countries of the
world, and that her wines will command
the world's market. California is the only
country until now which can produce hock
of a good flavor and identical to the well-
known rhine wine in its chemical and
physical properties.

California produces red wines, Bordeaux
as well as Burgundy which can can compete
with good French wines in every respect.
As proof of this fact I may state that
experts in Cete (Bordeaux) to whom I
presented claret for their opinion without
mentioning its origin, pronounced it to be French
wine of good qnality.

Several experts in Cologne on the Rhine
firmly asserted that a California hock, which
I set before them, must have been grown
near Ruedesheim, a place well known for
good Bhine wines,

I do not of course mean to say that such
wines are produced throughout California,
but only that the country can produce such
wines by proper choice of grapes and careful
preparation of the wine.

October 14, 1887, Page 195

GRAPE MUST

Dr. F. Springmuhl's first works for the
concentration of grape must, situated about
one mile north of Clairville [AKA Geyserville], Sonoma county,
is nearly completed.

The huge machinery is adapted to
concentrate more than 200,000 pounns [sic] of grapes
in ten hours, and more than 10,000,000
pounds will be exported this year.

A new town has been laid out, and a rail-
road station called Springmnhl has just
been erected.

The stockholders of the American
Concentrated Must Company have decided to
largely extend the new industry and to
concentrate extract of tanburk and similar
products during the other part of the year.

Dr.De Barth Shorb of Los Angeles and
Dr. Springmuhl have bought a tract of land
aronnd Springmuhl station, and a number
of houses and cottages will be built for the
employees of the firm.

Baron von Schilling intends to build a
splendid hotel in the valley near the
Russian River.

The whole land bought by Drs. Shorb
and Springmuhl, except the part reserved
for the town, will be planted with vines and
will be cultivated by employees of the Must
Company.

--end

Springmuhl's US patent:

PRESERVING GRAPE MUST AND SKINS, link
FERDINAND SPRINGMUHL

Patent number: 380463
Filing date: Sep 14, 1887
Issue date: Apr 3, 1888



United States Patent Office

FERDINAND SPRINGMUHL, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN CONCENTRATED MUST COMPANY, OP SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

PRESERVING GRAPE MUST AND SKINS,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,463, dated April 3, 1888.
Application filed September 14,1387. Serial No. S49.T23. (So specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ferdinand Springmuhl, of London, England, have invented an Improvement in the Preservation of Grape-Skins by Concentrated Grape-Must; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to the art of wine-making, and especially to that branch of it which contemplates the making of wine at some future time and in other localities from grape-must previously prepared; and my invention consists in the preservation of grape-skins by treating them with their own concentrated juice or must.

The object of my invention is the preservation of grape-skins for an indefinite time for the purpose of wine-making, so that there may be obtained from the skins thus preserved and treated with their own concentrated grape-must the identical wine which would be obtained from the fresh grape-must.

[...]

--end

[TradeName]

Hopeine: Hazy Hallucinations and Foolish Impudence

Eh, it's just going to get worse.

Springmuhl's Concentrated Produce Company reported the discovery of a new narcotic, hopein or hopeine, derived from wild American hops. This discovery was the result of attempts to produce condensed beer. Independent analysts determined that samples of hopeine consisted of morphine or a mixture of morphine and cocaine. B. H. Paul of the Pharmaceutical Journal wrote: "It is intelligible that a new narcotic preparation of that kind might be introduced under a fancy name and at a high price; but the attempt to introduce upon a pseudo-scientific basis an article that is only a mixture of two well-known substances is, I may say, a piece of foolish impudence that almost passes belief."

The London Medical Record, August 15, 1885, Page 341

Hopein, the Narcotic Principle of Hops.—-An article on this subject appears in Der Fortschritt, June 20, 1885 [page 252]. It has long been supposed that hops contain a narcotic principle, the isolation of which however failed, until W. Williamson and Springmuehl first succeeded in obtaining from American hops a new alkaloid, hopein, of eminently narcotic properties, barely inferior in power to morphia, without, however, the objectionable subsequent effects of the latter. The experiments connected with concentration in vacuum of strongly hopped English beer and the brewing of condensed beer, lead to the conviction that certain qualities of hops contain small quantities of a narcotic alkaloid, in its properties closely related to morphia. Just as only certain kinds of poppies grown in particular climates yield a satisfactory quantity of morphia, so also the larger or lesser proportion of the narcotic principle of the hops vary according to the place and 'he manner of cultivation of this plant; whereas German hops possess only traces of hopein, the richness in this alkaloid of the wild American hops alone rendered possible the production of a sufficient quantity for the first physiological experiments. The concentration of English beer, strongly charged with American hops, proved that this kind of hops contains a narcotic principle, the condensed beer possessing an undeniable, although mild, narcotic property. By boiling large quantities of American hops with wort, brewed after the English system, and condensing the extract in the vacuum, concentrated solutions of the new alkaloid were obtained, but its isolation still failed. This at last was realised by boiling under high pressure large quantities of wild American hops with a pure slightly acidified solution of grape-sugar. This solution was filtered through asbestos, and condensed in a vacuum at a low temperature; and from it the alkaloid, which is but slightly soluble in water, was extracted. Very large quantities of hops were required for the preparation of the first 100 grammes (3J ounces) of pure hopein, which are now serving for the therapeutic experiments still continuing. Detailed reports are promised by the discoverers.

--end

The Dublin Journal of Medical Science, October 1, 1885, Pages 354-355

PERISCOPE.

HOPEIN.

This alkaloid, which appears to be different from the lupulin of Griessmayer, is described by W. T. Smith of London, (Deutsch. med.Zeitg.), who refers to previous investigations by Williamson and Springmiihl, who gave it the name of hopein. It is said to be most abundant in the American wild hop. It occurs as a white crystalline powder, or in the form of needles a third of an inch long. It is very sparingly soluble in water, but dissolves freely in alcohol, the solution having the most intense bitter taste and a pronounced smell of hops. Chemically, it bears a close resemblance to morphin. In its physiological action it is a pure narcotic, even fatal doses producing no irritant effect; but it contracts the pupil, raises the temperature, and increases the frequency of the pulse at first, but afterward diminishes it. The deep sleep which it induces is apt to be preceded and followed by peculiar hazy hallucinations. The author has used it as a hypnotic, in doses ranging from one-third to six-tenths of a grain for adults, and in his own person he found that three-quarters of a grain produced symptoms of poisoning. He finds that the dose does not have to be increased on account of the system becoming habituated to the drug. He thinks that the "toxic dose" is not much above a grain and a half for adults, and not over nine-tenths of a grain for children.—N. Y. Med. Jour., August 15, 1885.

--end

Chemist and Druggist, January 15, 1886, Page 55

Hopeine

Dr. W. Williamson has given this name to a substance recently discovered by himself and Mr. Springmuehl, and consisting of the narcotic alkaloid of Hamulus lupulus, L., or the active principle of hops. The experiments made thus far would seem to point to hopeine as destined to play an important part in medicine, especially as an antispasmodic and a sedative in nervous diseases and affections of the brain. Indeed, Dr. Williamson claims for hopeine that it seems to unite the qualities of quinine and morphine, and possesses the properties of opiates without having, so far as has been ascertained, any of the drawbacks of these substances.

The wild American hops are the only variety of Strobuli humili from which it has been found practicable to extract hopeine, which alkaloid they contain to the extent of about 0.15 per cent, on an average, whereas English hops only give 0.05 per cent, of pure hopeine crystals, and the German variety did not contain a percentage at all sufficient to admit of its employment.

At present chemical experiments on hopeine are still in progress, and the formula for the substance has not yet been discovered.

Pure hopeine appears in brilliant white needles about 1 cm. long, or as a crystalline white powder, a sample of which latter variety has been submitted to us by the Concentrated Produce Company, of 10 Camomile Street, E.C., who represent the patentees.

This powder has the characteristic smell of hops: it is scarcely soluble in water (according to one authority 800 parts of water at 15° C. are required for its solution), but it dissolves in 50 parts of alcohol at 15° C, communicating to the solution an intensely bitter taste.

The following is the modus operandi for obtaining hopeine from wild American hops:—-The hops are strongly compressed and placed in a large copper cauldron, tinned inside, a 16-per-cent. solution of glucose and a little acetic acid being added, and the mixture left standing for about twenty-four hours, the solution completely permeating and covering the compressed hops. Fermentation is prevented by the hops themselves. The next stage of the process is to boil the hops with the solution under pressure for six hours, then to remove the liquid and to place the hops in a hydraulic press. The solution of glucose, which, during the process has absorbed the active principles of the hops, among them the hopeine, is then filtered through carbon and treated in vacuum-pans until the sugar has crystallised.

The hopeine is now extracted from the residue in an impure state by means of alcohol, the solution filtered and evaporated. After evaporation the substance is treated alternately with ether and with weak alkali water to remove the impurities, and finally the pure alkaloid is extracted by repeated solution and re-crystallisation from alcohol. It may be interesting to mention that the circumstances which led to the investigations concerning the alkaloid arose from the discovery that English beer which contained a large proportion of hops after concentration in a vacuum acted as a powerful narcotic. The experimenters at first endeavoured to obtain hopeine directly by subjecting hops to a treatment with alcohol; but this did not succeed because the alcohol extracted several other substances at the same time, and no isolation was afterwards possible.

The manufacture of hopeine is still in its infancy, and of a difficult and expensive nature, 1,000 to 2,000 lbs. of hops yielding only 1 lb. of hopeine. and until progress has been made in the direction of simplification the price of the alkaloid is not likely to be sensibly reduced. The hops after treatment do not, however, become absolutely valueless for brewing purposes, nor does the sugar used in the process.

Unsuccessful experiments have been made to obtain hopeine from lupuline.

Its extremely bitter taste renders hopeine difficult to administer unless in a disguised form, condensed beer, port wine, or sherry being best employed for this purpose.

The alkaloid acts with very strong effect, especially upon, children, and should be administered with great caution.

--end

February 15, 1886, Pages 78-79

HOPEINE AND MORPHINE.

In December we described the properties of "Hopeine," a substance reported to have been recently discovered by Dr. Williamson and Mr. Springmuehl, and said to be the active principle of hops. During the past month this hopeine has been investigated by several French chemists and physicians, who all came to the conclusion that it is either morphine or an alkaloid exactly similar to morphine. This was first stated publicly at a meeting of the Academy of Medicine on January 27, by Dr. Dujardin-Beaumetz, who based his assertions on some experiments which had been made by M. Bardet for the firm of Adrian & Co. M. Bardet's experiments are given in full in a French journal called Nouceaux Remedes (February 1, 1886), which, we believe, is in some way connected with the house named. In that journal is published, first, a translation of the article in Tne Chemist And Druggist for December; then a history of the steps taken by M. Adrian to procure some samples of the alkaloid for Dr. Dujardin-Beaumetz; then the analyses; and, finally, the inevitable homily on the depravity of all druggists outside France.

Messrs. Adrian & Co. obtained their hopeine first throngh the firm of Thomas Christy & Co. here. This, M. Bardet reports, possessed a pronounced sweetish odour, curiously like that of wintergreen oil, and an atom placed on the tongue, besides having a bitter and nauseous taste, left a pronounced burning sensation, like the action of essential oik. These properties arousing his suspicion, Dr. Bardet dissolved part of the sample in alcohol, which dissolved it easily, and, on further analysis, he became convinced it was morphine he was dealing with.

In order to be quite certain Dr. Bardet asked M. Adrian to procure him some more hopeine, but from different British firms, in order to have, as he expressed it, "samples of different marks."

While waiting for the arrival of these samples another Parisian chemist, M. A. Petit, who had also conduct^ experiments on hopeine, informed Messrs. Bardet and Adrian that he had found it to produce exactly the same reactions as morphine, and M. Adrian was further surprised by being offered by agents of different London houses large quantities of hopeine, which article had before been extremely scarce.

The second lot of samples arrived from London in sealed bottles, some from Christy and others from the original manufacturers, the Concentrated Produce Company, and upon these being opened that of Christy was found to possess the same odour of wintergreen oil as the first, while that of the Company smelt strongly of hops. In other respects the two had the same properties, and were subjected to a series of tests which were held to prove that hopeine possesses the same reactions as morphine, and is, in fact, identical with morphine; that, therefore, either hops contain morphine—-which is difficult to believe, but remarkable if true—-or that the product sold as hopeine by English druggists is morphine scented with an essential oil.

Messrs. Christy &. Co. have very freely laid before us all the particulars of their transactions in the matter. Of course their part in the affair has been simply that of merchants, although they must accept the comments of the French press smilingly, because they followed the frequent practice of substituting their label for that of the original agents.

Messrs. Christy & Co. inform us that they received a letter, dated January 26, in which M. Adrian relates the analysis of the hopeine, and adds that, Christy having furnished him with a mixture of morphine and some aromatic substance for hopeine, he refuses to pay for the several lots he has bought from him. Upon receipt of this letter Mr. Christy communica>ed with the Concentrated Produce Company, and gave a sample of hopeine to Wigner & Harland for analysis. When our representative called Mr. Christy showed him a letter from the Concentrated Produce Company, dated February 2, in which they guarantee that the article supplied by them was in every respect the same as was supplied direct by them to M. Adrian, and that, as stated in their circular, hopeine is prepared exclusively from hops. "I was quite staggered," Mr. Christy went on to say, 'by the article in the Nouceaux Remedes, and desire nothing better than to clear up the matter entirely. But, even if the French are right in their analysis, that would not justify the personal attack upon me and other English druggists, who simply supply goods ordered from us as sent out by the manufacturers and who can take no responsibility as to the properties of goods. It seems that this hopeine was brought out some years ago under the name of ' Hoppein,' but was given up. As to the present product, I understand that Mr. E. Merck, of Darmstadt, has the exclusive sale of it on the Continent, and that M. Adrian, having ordered a parcel from the Concentrated Produce Company, they supplied him, but he received the invoice from Merck. The article has been sold largely in Germany, where many experiments have been made with it, and from there we have heard no complaints. However, besides having given some hopeine to Wigner & Harland for analysis, I have asked the Company to get a consignment of the original wild hops from America, which will be analysed here, and the matter settled once and for all."

Our representative then called upon Messrs. J. W. Drysdale & Co., druggists, of 4 Bury Street, St. Mary Axe, who have also supplied hopeine to a French house, and who made substantially the same statement as Mr. Christy. They were surprised, they said, to receive from their correspondent a letter saying that the hopeine and chlorhydrate of hopeine supplied by them were nothing but morphine and chlorhydrate of morphine, and adding that the parcel was at their disposal, and would not be paid for. "On prononce tout bas," said their correspondent, "le mot de vol!'

Mr. Drysdale is, of course, equally anxious to have the matter elucidated, and has received from the Concentrated Produce Company the same assurances as Mr. Christy.

In opposition to the statements published by the French chemists we have received a long statement in German, signed by Dr. G. V. Weissenfeld, M.D., Ph.D., entitled "Hopeine and Morphine.' From this document we extract the salient points:—

"While several well-known chemists have pointed out the great resemblance existing between morphine and hopeine, it is clearly shown by the investigations of Smith, Williamson, and Roberts that these two alkaloids are not identical.

"To point, like Bardet, to the colour tests as proof of the identity of the two alkaloids is as unjustifiable as it would be to maintain that atropin, hyoscyamine, and datnrin are identical because they show similar points of resemblance.

"It may be, of course, that morphium is actually present in Humulus, L., as well as in the poppy, just as caffeine is found in Coffea arab., Thea chinensis, Paullinia sorbilis, &c.

"Some of Bardet's reactions are not even characteristic of morphine, and if the crystals obtained by sublimation are examined under the microscope the difference between hopeine and morphine will at once become apparent, and the same result is obtained by exposing a drop of the alcoholic solution to free evaporation.

"The point of solution of hopeine is under 100° C, that of morphine over 120° C. The point of sublimation is under 130° C. for hopeine, over 160° C. for morphine. The smell of hops does not properly belong to hopeine, but is caused by traces of a decomposition product of the alkaloid. The characteristic smell of hops, although expelled from hops by the drying process, may be revived by heating it with sulphuric acid.

"The sediment caused in concentrated solutions by tannic acid is soluble in morphine by the addition of a drop of hydrochloric acid, and not soluble in hopeine.

"There are also great physiological differences between morphine and hopeine, especially in their action on the pupil. The former always causing myosis, while hopeine, if applied to the eye of a cat in small doses, causes dilatation; in large doses the mydriatic action on the human eye is also apparent. Crystallised hopeine only should be used in experiments."

Since writing the above we have heard that Messrs. Wigner & Harland's analysis, as far as it has gone, indicates no chemical difference between hopeine and morphine. It is stated, however, that another English chemist having made some preliminary experiments does not hold the same opinion; and it is fair to the Concentrated Produce Company to say that they have undertaken to supply to Mr. Christy and M. Petit, as independent authorities, sufficient quantities of the American wild hops to enable them to test their process for extracting the alkaloid. Hopeine, they say, is with them a by-product, their chief manufacture being a condensed beer for which they use the American wild hops.

--end

Couldn't find the Pharmaceutical Journal for 1886 online. Here's a reprint of Paul's article.

Pharmaceutical Record (New York), May 1, 1886, Page 139

NOTE ON A SAMPLE OF "HOPEINE."
By B. H. Paul, Ph.d.

Read at at evening meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society, Wednesday, April 14.

Some weeks ago, when a sample of "hopeine" was shown at one of the evening meetings of the Society, I gave a short account of a few results that I had obtained in examining the substance that has been spoken of under this name in some scientific journals, and has been described in advertisements as a narcotic alkaloid obtained from hops. Hitherto, so far as the chemistry of hops has been studied, there has not been any recognition of the presence of alkaloidal substances either in any part of the plant itself or in the lupulin that is separated from the strobiles, and any narcotic property appertaining to hops has been ascribed to other substances. On the occasion I refer to I pointed out that the alkaloid to which the name of "hopeine" had been given presented remarkable analogies to morphine. The quantity then at my command was very small, but the results obtained with the tests that I applied led me to the opinion that for the most part this substance was indistinguishable from morphine. In this respect my observations agreed with those which had been made in France. There was, however, some reason to suspect that "hopeine" was not in all instances the same thing, and therefore in order to be certain that there was no mistake about the material operated upon I applied to the vendors of this article requesting them to supply me with an authentic sample. I received from them two small tubes each containing about half a gram of substance in a crystalline state. This I submitted to examination as before, and I found it to be so closely analogous to morphine, that, if not identical with it, there was no possibility of distinguishing one from the other in comparative trials. The only particular in which I found any difference was, as I mentioned before, that in dissolving "hopeine" with caustic potash solution, though the greater part of it behaved in the same manner as morphine, and was dissolved readily, there was always some slight residue that remained undissolved; a very small proportion, but enough to be distinctly recognizable even when operating upon a centigram. This undissolved portion collected at the bottom of the test-tube, and after the lapse of several days it was observed that it gradually disappeared. Since it had been stated in the account given of hopeine that it possessed mydriatic properties, and that when applied to the eye it decidedly dilated the pupil, it occurred to me that this character might be due to some admixture of atropine. In any case no such effect had ever been observed with morphine, and as I was strongly impressed with the opinion that the greater part of this material was morphine I was at first inclined to suspect that the portion undissolved by caustic potash might consist of atropine. In my endeavor to arrive at a determination of that point I was, however, unable to satisfy myself of the presence of this alkaloid, inasmuch as the recognition of small quantities of atropine is exceedingly difficult. The entire quantity of the material I was operating upon weighed altogether only about half a gram, and if the portion undissolved was really atropine it could not have amounted to more than a milligram.

After I had mentioned this matter I incidentally learned from Mr. Wink that he had met with samples of "hopeine" which were distinctly different from one another. In one instance a sample had been found to present characters very different from other samples. In the first place it melted in a water-bath long before the temperature of 212° F. was reached, and in that respect it was obviously quite distinct from morphine, as well as from other samples of "hopeine." He was kind enough at my request to send me a small tube containing about half a gram of this sample, and upon examination I found that the melting point was considerably below 194° F. After being melted it presented the appearance partly of an oily mass, which solidified on cooling, while part of it appeared to remain unmelted. Still pursuing the idea that atropine might be present, 1 endeavored to separate this fusible portion by means of the solvents which are best suited for dissolving atropine,—-amongst others chloroform,—-and I found that on treating the sample of hopeine obtained from Mr. Wink with chloroform a considerable proportion of it was dissolved. The undissolved portion of it was first examined and found to possess all the characters of morphine. The soluble portion was converted into hydrochorate and the solution evaporated down to a very small bulk. Upon comparing the residue with that obtained from a similar solution of atropine hydrochlorate I found that there was a considerable difference. The atropine hydrochlorate was never obtained in a crystalline form at all, but only as a distinctly gummy mass without any sign of crystallization. The substance soluble in chloroform which was separated from Mr. Wink's sample of hopeine, however, gave a decidedly crystalline hydrochlorate and this salt was deliquescent. I found that this alkaloid soluble in chloroform, amounting to about one third of the sample—about 30 per cent—was really cocaine. On applying to it the ordinary chemical tests it corresponded in every respect with a good sample of cocaine. It also presented the physiological characters of cocaine, producing numbness of the tongue. When boiled with water it was converted into the fine crystallizable substance that is a product of the decomposition of cocaine in that way. Then by boiling for two or three minutes with a small quantity of caustic potash it was decomposed, with formation of benzoic acid, and on addition of hydrochloric acid benzoic acid was separated. This test for cocaine is under certain limitations decidedly characteristic. It requires to be delicately managed, with due regard to the solubility of benzoic acid in water, especially when operating upon a very small quantity. Care must also be taken not to use too much potash, otherwise the crystallization of the benzoic acid may be rendered obscure.

The general result that I have arrived at is that the greater part of the substance called "hopeine" is really morphine, and that if it be not morphine obtained from opium, it is so like morphine derived from that source as to be indistinguishable from it. Therefore if the account given of it be correct, we must suppose that hops, as well as opium, contain morphine. The trials that have been made with hops grown in this country and in other parts of Europe have not given any result showing the presence of morphine. Thus, for instance, Messrs. Gehe, of Dresden, have tried a large quantity of hops for the purpose of extracting from them any alkaloid to be obtained. They failed entirely, and have obtained nothing of the kind.

It is stated, however, that hopeine is obtained from a peculiar kind of hop—-a wild variety growing in Central America. For the further elucidation of the matter in this respect it would therefore be requisite that a large quantity of these wild hops of Central America should be brought over here and submitted to trial, and probably it will be some time before this will be done.

Within the last few hours I have had some conversation with Mr. Gerrard and I have heard that he has also met with a sample of hopeine that was even more remarkable than the one which I have already described as containing one-third of its weight of cocaine. The sample which he has examined was obtained through a wholesale house in London, directly from the vendors, and according to Mr. Gerrard's account he has separated it into one-fourth of a substance which he finds to be identical with morphine, and three-fourths of a substance which is soluble in chloroform. He has very kindly handed this over to me this morning, and in the course of the afternoon I have examined it and I find that it is cocaine. The alkaloid alleged to be produced from hops is therefore peculiar in being separable into one portion that is certainly identical with morphine, and another portion that is identical with an alkaloid that occurs in a plant belonging to a natural order very different from those to which the poppy and hop belong respectively. Hence it appears that we have to adopt one of two alternatives. Either there is in the wild hop of Central America a very remarkable association of two alkaloids known to occur in two extremely different plants, or we have a case of an article improperly put forward as a substance of natural origin, though really a fictitious mixture. It is difficult to imagine how such a proceeding could have been attempted. We can understand well enough quack nostrums being put before the public with wonderful accounts of their virtues. It is intelligible that a new narcotic preparation of that kind might be introduced under a fancy name and at a high price; but the attempt to introduce upon a pseudo-scientific basis an article that is only a mixture of two well-known substances is, I may say, a piece of foolish impudence that almost passes belief.—Reprinted from the Pharmaceutical Journal.

--end

Some hopeine related correspondence which includes a mention of a Brooklyn connection for for the Concentrated Produce Company.

American Druggist, July 1886, Pages 136-137

Hopeine.

Sir :—Our attention has been directed to an article in your valuable medium on the subject of hopeine, and we should feel obliged if you would allow us to take exception to the statement that we were makers of hopeine, for if not contradicted at once, we should be placed in a false position both in America and Europe. Our connection with hopeine was inevitable, on account of the leading part we have always taken in the introduction and importation of new drugs and remedies; but not being ourselves manufacturers of any pharmaceutical preparations, we cannot hold ourselves responsible for their composition. When a new drug or preparation is brought on the market, we are at once called upon to supply it, and hopeine, so soon as it was advertised by the sole manufacturers. The Concentrated Produce Co., Limited, of London and Brooklyn, who by a letter to us dated February 2d, 1886, take the entire responsibility of their statements and of the preparation known as hopeine, it was oraered from us.

Our position and action in this matter has been fully explained by us to our friends, Mr. F. Stearns, Detroit: Prof. Lloyd, of Cincinnati, etc., and we have received great assistance from Professors F. Spencer Baird and Asa Gray, in collecting such information as has enabled us to obtain through Mr. J. W. Colcord, of Lynn, a supply of American wild hops, to have the question of their yield of the alkaline hopeine clearly defined. We remain, sir, yours truly,

Thos. Christy & Co.

London, June 1st, 1880.

(The above communication is accompanied by the following circular, which should be read in connection with it.— Ed. Amer. Druggist.J

10, Camomile street,
London, E. C, Feb. 2d, 1886.
Messrs. Thos. Christ if & Co., 155, Fenchurch Street, E. C.
Dear Sirs:—In reply to your inquiry, we guarantee that the hopeine supplied to you on 8th Dec, 12th Dec, and 21st Dec, 1885, and 19th Jan., and 21st Jan., 1886, was similar in every respect to the article we supply to our other customers, including Messrs. Adrian & Co., of Paris; and that, as stated in our circulars, hopeine is prepared exclusively from hops.

We are, dear sirs, yours truly.
Concentrated Produce Co.,
W. Wild. Springmuhl.

--end

[Scott Nelson]

I don't know about anybody else, but I've found this thread exhausing.

[TradeName]

Brief descriptions of a couple of British patents granted to Springmuhl.

Engineering, Volume 34, September 15, 1882, Page 271

554. Apparatus for Concentrating Milk: F. Springmuhl, London. (4d).—-The water is evaporated from the milk in a vacuum pan, during agitation, by hollow steam-heated vessels, and cooling is effected by a stream of cold water passing through the double bottom of the vacuum pan and the said vessels. (February 4, 1882).

555. Manufacture of Condensed Grape Juice or Must: F. Springmuhl, London. (4d)—The expressed juice is treated in a centrifugal machine, then slightly heated, and afterwards 80 or more percent of its water evaporated in a vacuum pan at a low temperature during agitation bv hollow Bteam-heated vessels. The concentrated juice is cooled by a stream of cold water passing through the double bottom of the vacuum pan and the said vessels. (February 4, 1882).

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An account of Springmuhl's experiments with condensing Italian and Spanish grapes. The account is attributed to a Dr. John Suchy

English Mechanics and the World of Science, Volume 34, Jan 6, 1882, Pages 429-430

THE CONDENSING OF GRAPE-JUICE IN THE VACUUM PAN.

[19604.]—A New application of the well-known condensing process in the vacuum-pan to grape-juice before the setting in of fermentation is of considerable importance, both to the consumers of wine, and especially to wine-growing countries such as Italy and Spain. The condensation of fresh grape-juice, by an operation similar to that employed for the condensed Swiss milk, promises a wide field of usefulness. It brings (without any injury to the wine-making qualities of the juice) its bulk down to the fifth of its original quantity, and leaves it fit for transportation under any circumstances, and preservation for any time.

Experiments on a large scale have effectually proved that the condensing process under a sufficient exhaustion of air in the vacuum-pan in no way alters the grape-juice, and that after its regeneration through the addition of water after fermentation, exactly the same wine is obtained as from the uncondensed grape-juice.

The attempt to condense wine, even with very complicated and costly apparatus, never led to any satisfactory results, and a previous study of its components might have spared many fruitless experiments. But it is entirely different with grape-juice, for as long as fermentation has not set in, it contains no elements which cau volatilise with water by evaporation in the vacuum-pan.

The experiments which were made by Dr. Springmuhl, with the most perfect vacuum and machinery of an Italian milk-condensing manufactory, extended over 60 different sorts of Italian and Spanish grapes, the quantity condensed each time being 600 to 800 litres.

The Italian and Spanish Governments granted patents for the new application of the condensing process to Dr. Springmuhl, who conducted the very interesting experiments with Italian and Spanish grapes. It was my good fortune to be present at all these experiments, and to analyse the grape-juice before, as well as after, condensation, and later, of the wine prepared from it. Only fresh grapes were used, and not less than 600 litres of unfermented juice were condensed each time, as it was found that in a small apparatus, and with a smaller quantity of grape-juice, a less uniform and less perfect result was obtained. The grapes were first plucked from the stalk, and the juice extracted from the skin by crushing in a cylinder machine between porcelain rollers; even the last drops of juice were extracted from the grape by a centrifugal machine, and all the juice so obtained was then put in tinned copper pails, which were warmed slightly in a steam-heated vessel filled with water.

The juice then passed through silvered wire sieves into a large vessel, from which it ascended the suction-pipe of the vacuum-pan.

The apparatus, which is made of strong tinned copper-plate, is capable of holding 1,200 litres, and is heated by steam through a double bottom. The cylinder-shaped vacuum-pan has a hemispherical dome and bottom, and is provided with all the necessary requisites and instruments.

Before the commencement of the condensation, the highest possible vacuum was produced, and the vacuum-gauge never indicated less than 65 centimetres before the sucking up of the juice.

The liquid was then subjected to a gradually progressive evaporation under the lowest possible temperature, and kept in a state of gentle ebullition during three hours, constant care being token that the vacuum should be kept perfect.

The temperature of the juice never reached the point at which the slightest change could take place in the quality of the must, when powerful pneumatic machines were used for the exhaustion of air.

In three hours the condensing was over, the condensed juice was a thickened fluid like syrup; after dilution with the corresponding quantity of water, the so regenerated grape juice could not be distinguished from the original not condensed.

The constituents of the condensed grape-juice showed no difference from those of the fresh grape-juice; after being cooled in a cooling apparatus like that used for condensed milk, it proved itself to be unchangeable not only when closed up in air-tight vessels, but also when exposed to the air.

In order to make wine from it, exactly the same quantity of water was added as was evaporated by tue condensing process, and the regenerated grape-juice was subjected to fermentation the same as fresh must.

The wine thus produced was fully identical with that obtained by the usual process, and this was proved by all kinds of experiments in the most satisfactory manner.

During the condensing of the juice, the grape-skins were dried in a separate vacuum-drying-machine at the lowest possible temperature. They are used later on in the making of wine, in giving it its peculiar colour and flavour. The process of condensing grape-juice, as described above, is for the present of importance, especially to Italy and Spain; but ere long the Northern countries of Europe will derive great benefits from it, because they themselves will be able to procure a good must, from which they can make excellent and genuine wines at cheap prices.

Italy produces an immense quantity of grapes, but the art of making good wines is still in its infancy, in consequence of which France buys every year large quantities of grapes as well as wines from Italy, with very good results, for the French know how to turn the grapes into good wines or to improve the Italian wines, thus enabling them to export those wines as French produce to all parts of the world. During the first nine months of 1881, although 1880 was not a good vintage, Italy exported to France more than 160 millions of litres of wine.

It is, I think, to be desired that this method of condensing Italian and Spanish grape-juice may soon be widely adopted, as it would put a check on those flourishing artificial wine manufacturers in Northern Europe.

John Suchy, M.D., Ph.D., M.A.

--end

Couldn't find much about Suchy, but I did notice an ad in a German publication where Suchy uses to same address, "15, Gower St.", that Springmuhl used in his letter about aconitine poisoning.

Chemiker-Zeitung/Chemische Apparatur, Volume 5, November 10, 1881, Page 866

[TradeName]

Notice of a publication by Ferd. Springmuhl on contamination of dyes, including some with arsenic.

The Chemical News and Journal of Industrial Science, Volumes 31-32, January 15, 1875, Page 29

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

The Testing or Artificial Colours.

Die Chemisette Prufung der kunslichen organischen Farbstloffe. Von Dr. Ferd. Springmuhl. Leipzig: Weigel.

Dr. Springmuhl, the editor of the Musterzeitung lays before the scientific and technological public, in this pamphlet, an account of the incidental impurities and intentional sophistications occurring in artificial colouring matters, and directions for their detection. Natural organic dyes are to be considered in a future treatise. We may mention as a somewhat disappointing circumstance, that while the introduction leads us to expect some mention of the colouring matters of uric acid and of the alkaloids, they are omitted in the body of the work. As regards picric acid the author finds that oxalic acid is not merely present in many samples as an incidental byproduct, but is sometimes intentionally added to the extent of 20 per cent. Samples of phenyl-brown are sometimes largely adulterated with sawdust and fragments of lignite (brown-coal). Oxalic acid and dinitrophenol are also present.

The poisonous properties ascribed to corallin, and to goods dyed with this colour naturally called for the author's attention. He pronounces pure corallin not more poisonous than the remaining phenyl-colours, but finds that it may contain aniline, iodine, mercuric chloride and especially carbolic acid, to which latter he ascribes a great part of the toxic phenomena observed in the case of this dye. For the detection of carbolic acid in corallin he recommends Landolt's test. The sample is dissolved in water, held up to the light and mixed with bromine water. If carbolic acid is present a precipitate or turbidity of tribromphenol appears. Aniline, however, if present, is thrown down at the same time.

In his general remarks on the aniline colours the author informs us that:—-French qualities are the most frequently adulterated, whether by the manufacturers themselves or by middlemen. English samples, as far as I have had the opportunity of observing, are distinguished by great purity and excellence."

Out of 25 specimens of magenta one only was found free from arsenic. In 14 the amount was sufficient for quantitative determination. In four samples the proportions were respectively 6•5, 5•9, 5•g, and 5•1 per cent. Such qualities, of course, must prove dangerous if used for colouring liqueurs, confectionery, and toys. In dyeing, however, the amount of the poisonous matter which attaches itself to the wool is relatively trifling. This the author ascertained by an interesting experiment. In a beaker he dissolved 0•1 gramme of the most poisonous sample in hot water. The solution, of course, contained 0•0065 gramme of arsenic. In it a square foot of pure wool (woollen tissue) was dyed. It was then well rinsed in a second beaker of pure water, and again in a third. The dyed wool, the residual dye, and the two wash-waters therefore contained 0•0065 of arsenic, and it remained to ascertain its distribution. In the dye-bath were found 0•0051 gramme, in the first washing-water 0•0010. In the second washing-water the amount was too small to be determined. It, however, and the dyed wool must together contain the residue 0•0005. According to Marsh's test the wool appeared to contain less than the second washing water. Hence a square inch of the woollen could contain scarcely two millionths of a gramme of arsenic. If the proportion of arsenic is low, as in well-purified magentas, the wool, when dyed gives no indications by Marsh's process. It is of some importance to know of what salt of rosanilin a commercial magenta consists, as the proportion of base varies, the muriate being richer than the acetate.

The mercurial process for the manufacture of magenta is still used in some establishments. The author found the crystals of such samples smaller than those of arsenical magentas. Two of the specimens examined contained arsenic, which renders their origin doubtful. In none was mercury detected.

The two most frequent adulterants are oxalic acid and sugar. The author has found 21 per cent of the former, and 24 per cent of the latter. Joly has detected sugar to the extent of 50 per cent.

Aniline violets are more liable to sophistication than magentas from the fact that they are sold, not in well-defined crystals, but in powder or in cakes. The author has detected gum in a Hofmann's violet to the amount of 12 per cent, and 8 per cent of finely ground charcoal in a common phenyl violet.

Aniline blues are treated very briefly. The author does not specify any adulterations as having actually occurred in his investigations, but he recommends consumers to have an eye to the possible presence of sugar.

Of 32 samples of iodine-green examined, 5 were unquestionably sophisticated. One contained 18 per cent of sugar. An English sample was cleverly sophisticated with a salt of lead, probably the picrate, and deflagrated when a portion was heated upon platinum foil. Metallic lead was found to the extent of 10 per cent, corresponding to 21 per cent of the picrate. Two other samples contained respectively 14 per cent, of common salt and 26 per cent of magnesia. Oxide of chrome is also a possible adulteration.

The finest sample of iodine-green examined was from the manufactory of H. Siegle, in Stuttgart. The author considers that in the production of this beautiful and costly colour the Germans are superior to the English and the French.

We shall probably again return to this book on some future occasion. Meantime we feel bound to call to it the especial attention of such of our readers as are connected with dyeing, calico printing.or the manufacture of colours.

[TradeName]

Springmuhl's lecture (previous post) on aconitine was addressed to the Balloon Society of Great Britain. The Pharmaceutical Journal quotes him as claiming there were thousands of accidental aconitine poisoning cases in Europe.

Pharmaceutical Journal: A Weekly Record of Pharmacy and Allied Sciences, May 27, 1882, Page 972

Aconitine and aconitine poisoning have been pretty widely discussed during the past few months, but one of the last places from which an ex cathedral utterance on the subject might have been expected is the "Balloon Society of Great Britain." Yet to the edification of this body Dr. Ferdinand Springmuhl has recently devoted an elaborate lecture on aconitine poisoning, in which he describes some of his own chemical and physiological experiences, and mentions some "things not generally known," as to the doings of others. Among the latter may be quoted the following: "On the continent a number of such medical poisoning cases have been actually proved, in which by accident or ignorance English aconitine had been administered to the patient instead of that prepared according to the German Pharmacopoeia.... We do not know how many cases of death may have been caused by such mistakes, for it but seldom comes to light when a doctor poisons his client. Thousands, without doubt, found their death in this manner." Now for one of Dr. Springmuhl's own feats. "By preparing^ aconitine from Aconitum Napellus, ferox, and Japonicum, the observations made by former researches were generally confirmed, and I found that aconitine extracted by the same process from different plants proved to be of the same chemical constitution, and the elementary analysis always gave the same figures, even when the preparation was gained from different parts of the plant. I, therefore, considered myself justified in calling this preparation 'pure aconitine.'"

--end

Some brief notices of the legal problems of a Dr. Ferd. Sprimgmuhl who edited a trade journal for the German dye industry.

The Chemical News and Journal of Physical Science, Volume 33, June 2, 1876, Page 231

Reimann's Farber Zeitung,
No. 16, 1876.

[...]

It is announced that Dr. F. Springmuhl, editor of the rival tinctorial journal, the Muster-Zeitung, is at present in prison in Vienna. In connection with this affair Dr. Reimann speaks of the "horrible condition" of the technological press of Germany.

The Chemical News and Journal of Physical Science, Volumes 33-34, August 18, 1876, Page 73

M. Reimann's Farber Zeitung,

No. 28, 1876.

This issue contains a paper on the depressed state of the tinctorial trades, and an announcement that Dr. Ferd. Springmuhl is undergoing a prosecution for having insulted Prince Bismark and the Emperor ("Ego et rex meus").

[TradeName]

A longer account of the aconitine experiments. Notice that Ferdinand Springmuhl claims an "M.D."

Medical Press and Circular (London), May 24, 1882, Pages 439-441

ON ACONITINE POISONING.
By FERDINAND SPRINGMUHL, M.A., M.D.

Lecture delivered May 5th, 18S2.

There exist very different preparations called aconitine, and in spite of many valuable scientific researches on this subject, there seems to be a deficiency in the general knowledge of this poison. Among all other poisonous alkaloids used by medical men, we have no similar discrepancy; quinine, atropine, morphia, and strychnine are well-known alkaloids, and supposing them to be commercially recognised as pure, equal quantities of these alkaloids will always hare the same action on the human system, whether prepared and prescribed in France, England, Germany, or America. Not so with aconitine. A preparation known in England by the name of "aconitine pure" acts 10 to 50 times as powerfully on the system as the product known by the same name on the Continent.

A doctor who in England would give a patient aconitine according to German or American prescriptions must necessarily cause his death, and on the Continent a number of such medical poisoning cases have been actually proved, in which by accident or ignorance, English aconitine had been administered to the patient, instead of that prepared according to the German Pharmacopoeia. If this fact were sufficiently known to all medical men it would not be of such import to discuss it, as every medical man would know that in England generally the aconitine is a very strong preparation, and that he must not prescribe aconitine according to any foreign direction or recipes.

Aconitine, as it appears in commerce, is not a crystallised product, neither the Continental nor the English, and when certain authors speak of crystallised aconitine, these are special preparations, or picked samples, in no way identical with the aconitine of commerce. Morson's aconitine, which doubtless contains in a very concentrated form tho most virulent properties of the monkshood (probably of Aconilam Napellus), is remarkable for its particularly poisonous action on the human system; it acts not only many times stronger than the Continental aconitine, but it differs by its effects on the system, and by the symptoms that are produced by the same, so that we must suppose it to contain another poisonous principle not found in either the German or French preparation.

A friend of mine, an analytical chemist by profession, committed suicide at Breslan, in his laboratory, with this poisonous alkaloid; he used German aconitine, prepared by E. Merck, at Darmstadt, a white powder, which according to all appearance and chemical test was quite free from impurity, and had been carefully extracted from the plant Aconitum Napellus.

S----- , who suffered during the last months of his life from melancholy, took about 8 grains of German aconitine, and I had occasion to observe the whole course of the poisoning, which led to death after twelve hours' suffering, in spite of the application of every possible remedy. Had deceased better known the terrible agonies produced by aconitine poisoning which he would have to endure, he would certainly not have chosen this poison. Half an hour after he had taken it, the first violent symptoms appeared, whereupon ho exclaimed, triumphantly, "Old boy, in an hour I shall be no more. I look aconitine enough to kill an elephant." On the table stood a small bottle of aconitine, out of which not more than 8 grains could have been taken, for the bottle contained no more than 16 grains, and still retained 8 grains of the alkaloid. Unfortunately, S----- had dined before swallowing the poison, which fact caused its action to be considerably retarded and his sufferings prolonged. A burning sensation in the throat and mouth first made itself felt, and this became more intense with every minute: intense pains in the stomach ensued after 30 minutes, and these became so violent in a few seconds that the patient writhed, shrieking, in the most dreadful convulsions, and trying to strike the wall with his head. With difficulty he was held, and emulsive drinks, as milk and oil, given him. Very soon he became nearly incapable of swallowing, and seized with spasmodic coughing and wanting to vomit. In spite of emetics, he could not vomit until an hour after the taking of the poison, and then with violent exertion a dark greenish fluid was vomited, and the patient felt no relief to tho pains in the stomach, and the burning in the throat which rendered the swallowing and the application of antidotes very difficult. Neither did the stomach pump (used immediately) give any relief; and although exhaustion ensued after violent convulsions, the symptoms reappeared with renewed force in spite of all applied remedies. In the commencement of the third hour the pains and convulsions attained such violence that death was expected every instant, but this did not ensue till many hours afterwards.

In the fourth hour, after repeated injections of morphia, the patient seemed somewhat better. Previous to this he made us understand that his skin was frightfully irritated. This irritation of the skin, as of ants crawling, continued apparently the whole time, and whenever the intensity of the pains somewhat relaxed, he scratched the skin of his head and naked breast in a convulsivo manner until perfectly sore. His eyes glared wildly about, sometimes resting with a fixed stare on one point. The convulsions were repeated at almost regular intervals, and the inclination to vomit continued, although vomiting did not follow after the second hour. At intervals of about forty minutes the patient seemed to lose consciousness, but only for several minutes, whereupon the convulsions and the other symptoms appeared with undiminished violence. Three hours after the appearance of the first symptoms he became incapable of uttering intelligible words, but made us understand that he felt a giddiness, and a little later he appeared to have lost his sight. He throw himself wildly about on the couch and screamed and groaned so frightfully that I have never heard anythiog to equal it. Thereupon exhaustion and apparent coma, aud then renewed attacks of the most violent description. All attempts to give relief were in vain. Then a difficulty of breathing set in, and he appeared to suffocate. At intervals he was conscious, and when asked where he felt pain ho made rapid motions to his head and stomach alternately, and wanted to drink, although ho could not swallow. His pulse and temperature fell considerably, and before death, thorough exhaustion and unconsciousness set in, cold perspiration covered his wholo body, and death-like pallor before the end, which was syncoptic, while all the time asphyxetic death had been expected.

The post-mortem examination of the body gave no results which were not known before. The pupils of the eyes were much dilated, the interior of the mouth was very pale, the brain congested, as well as the lungs. The valves of the hoart were very flaccid. Congestion was observed in the liver and kidneys, an inflammation of the stomach was apparent, and the mucous membrane congested. The alkaloid was found by chemical analysis in the contents of the stomach; it was not found in the urine of the deceased.

On comparing these symptoms with those described in several Continental and English works, I was induced to investigate more fully its properties by experiments on myself, as there oould be no doubt of the existence of different kinds of aconitine—-different in purity as well as in chemical constitution, and in their action on the human system.

For my experiments I used the preparations of different chemical works and laboratories of the Continent and England, as also the aconitine extracted from Aconitum Napellus, Ferox and Japanicam, which I prepared according to the well known methods. By preparing aconitine from Aconitum Napellus, Ferox and Japanicum, the observations made by former researches wero generally confirmed, and I found that aconitine extracted by tho same process from different plants proved to be of the same chemical constitution, and the elomentary analysis always gave the same figures, even when the preparation was gained from different parts of the plant. I therefore consider myself justified in calling this preparation "pare aconitine," although differing entirely from Morson's, the English aconitine.

A cumulative action of aconitine, or a lasting disturbance of the system by using Continental aconitine in small doses, I never observed, and Morson's preparation was yet more acute in every respect than the Continental aconitine. With the English preparation I could not continue the experiments for fear of succumbing to the action of a comparatively small dose. Inveterate smokers, or persons who indulge in or use injections of morphia are much less sensitive to the action of aconitine, and this partly was the reason why my poor friend, who was a great smoker, suffered such a long time before he died. It is my belief that a person who did not use morphia nor smoke would have expired in less than three hours from the dose which caused the suffering of twelve hours to my lamented friend S-----. I, who do not smoke, felt the action of the aconitine very strongly, and generally several minutes after swallowing it, and I observed that a friend of mine, who was a great smoker, could take doses of aconitine which decidedly acted on me, without experiencing any of its effects on his system. I cannot assert to what point this immunity would reach, as I could not find a smoker willing to have experiments by progressive doses made on him. Smoking, however, cannot be looked upon as an antidote. I have repeatedly tried it as an antidote after taking small doses of aconitine, and although smokers are less affected by the poison, at my experiments smoking caused the poisonous effects of aconitine rather to increase.

At first I tried the aconitine received from German chemical works on animals—-especially rabbits—-and I repeated the experiments with aconitine prepared by myself from Aconitum Napellus. I found the latter to be in every respect equal to the aconitine of commerce, and I further proved that the preparation received from Continental manufacturers did not essentially differ from each other.

As the numerous experiments on animals can have only an interest to professional men, I will pass over these, describing only those made on myself.

I always took the aconitine when fasting, internally, not by subcutaneous injections. I began with one-tenth of a grain of aconitine prepared by myself on Duquesnel's prescription, from the root of Aconitum Napellus, and the day after I tried the same quantity of aconitine from a German chemical works. Both preparations were white, but not crystallised. The above dose of one-tenth of a grain was designated by Tylor as the "dosis letalis for English aconitine;" and in some English works I found even the dose of one-fiftieth mentioned as fatal or dangerous in its effects--meaning, of course, Morson's aconitine. I took the above one-tenth of a grain in solution, not in a capsule, and immediately observed the bitter, sharp taste, which, however, lasted not more than two hours. The bitter taste gradually gave way to the sharp one, until it vanished, leaving a burning sensation on the tongue; this dose had no influence on the stomach or the digestion, neither did it lower the temperature of the body or the pulse, or expand the pupils.

Having found no difference in the effects of the aconitine prepared by myself from Aconitum Napellus and that received from German manufacturers, we may look on these as identical. As one-tenth of a grain seemed to take no marked effect on the system, I doubled the dose on the following day, and took one-fifth of a grain of aconitine in a slightly acidulated solution. The action on the tongue was the same as before, but rather more violent, and lasting more than five hours. The irritation of the tongue was prickling burning, followed by numbness. These sensations did not confine themselves to the tongue, but passed on to the lips and throat in a very marked manner. The bitter taste predominated in spite of the burning, prickling sensation, and did not vanish as quickly as it had before; but on the whole I did not find its action on the mouth as strong as I had expected and found described by several authors. Forty minutes after taking the dose of one-fifth of a grain I felt a peculiar rumbling in the stomach, and the sensation of burning had extended to the throat; then ensued a contraction of the stomach and pains as of acute inflammation of the stomach. In the third hour these sensations ceased, leaving only the burning in the throat and the taste so characteristic of aconitine. In the course of these symptoms a peculiar sensation of warmth, like that produced by morphia, made itself felt all over the body, but no difference in the pulse was observed. Very characteristic was the dilating of the pupil, which lasted eight hours.

My next experiment, after three days, Was made with two-fifths of a grain of the same aconitine, and the effect was stronger than I expected from the foregoing experiment. Immediately on taking the solution the characteristic burning and prickling on the tongue ensued, extending to the whole interior of the mouth, and continued in spite of rinsing several times with water. Then, in about ten minutes, the action on the stomach began, and a feeling of discomfort and uneasiness, painful contractions of the stomach and burning in the throat, with inclination to vomit followed; the pulse rose for about ten minutes and then fell considerably. The pupil was greatly dilated, the nausea increased, and perspiration, excitement, and exhaustion followed alternatively. A marked dulness in the head lasted four hours; the other symptoms, except the dilating of the pupils, ceased after six hours. Slowly the bitter taste passed off, leaving only the sharp, burning action on the tongue, lips, and the whole interior of the mouth.

The dose of 2•5ths of a grain causing no serious symptoms nor deranging the functions of the stomach, bat allowing me to eat with good appetite a few hours after the action on the system ceased, and not experiencing any ill effects on the following day, I proceeded, after a lapse of three days, to swallow 3•5ths of a grain of the poison, and only this dose acted in a marked way on the brain. Vertigo and dulness in the head ensued, the sight diminished, and all the symptoms pointed to the beginning of a more violent action on the brain, which was not noticed at the former experiments with smaller doses. After ten minutes the pains of the stomach set in wiih greater violence than before, and nausea immediately followed. The inclination to vomit was accompanied by strong perspiration on ths whole body, and an irritation in the finger ends, which gradually extended to the feet and the skin of the head, and later on to the whole body, becoming very unpleasant. The eyes, with very dilated pupils, wandered wild and uncertain, and after thirty minutes vertigo was so violent that I was obliged to lie down. It was, however, impossible to remain in this position on account of the increasing excitation and the sensitiveness of the skin. The pulse and temperature rose during the first hour, and then fell considerably. Vomiting of a dark greenish liquid ensued four or five times and then ceased, as the stomach was apparently empty ; the irritation of the skin increased considerably, accompanied by intense thirst; perspiration and alternate sensation of warmth and fever shivering lasted several hours, and meanwhile the pains in the stomach ceased. In the fourth hour a general languor of the whole system and an unexpected inclination to sleep; a kind of narcotic sleep lasted twenty minutes, and on awaking I felt very weak. The irritation of the skin continued as well as the dulness in the head, but the pains and the bitter taste had comEletely vanished. Cessation of all symptoms after the sixth hour and perfect recovery on the following day, and with the exception of a faint headache, which lasted three days, no consequences followed.

The result of the analysis of the vomiting showed a small quantity of the alkaloid, but not enough to cause serious symptoms in a rabbit. Eight days later, in the presence of two medical men, friends of mine, I proceeded to take a dose of 4•5ths of a grain, from which after the former results no fatal consequences could be expected. The action on the tongue was naturally stronger than in the former experiments, and I observed that the sharp principle was more marked, and the bitter taste vanished more quickly, while the prickly burning sensation was more intense and lasted longer. Immediately on swallowing the solution of 4•5ths of a grain of aconitine the action on the tongue began, and a feeling as if very cold metal touched it was the first effect of the poison, the lips, gums, and throat then being quickly affected to a high degree. In nine minutes I felt the contracting pains in the stomach, with the alternate sensation of warmth, as I had observed in previous experiments. The dilating of the pupil lasted fourteen hours, and the pains in the stomach nearly three hours. Vertigo was noticed thirty minutes after taking the poison, and increased to such a degree that objects could no more be clearly distinguished, and sight seemed to fail—- a symptom mentioned by most authors as peculiar to aconitine poisoning, and in fact always appearing when considerable doses are taken. Diminished sight and increased vertigo did, however, not lead to unconsciousness, but was accompanied by buzziug in the ears, and violent beating of the arteries and increased stroke of the pulse.

The characteristic pricking of the skin, beginning in ths finger ends and extending to the whole of the body, was very painful, and caused on the head the sensation as of the skin being drawn off. The dull feeling in the head and the diminished sight continuing, these symptoms lead from time to time to almost swooning. During the first two hoars vomiting took place three times, without in any way relieving the pain in the stomach. After the third hour the discomfort was principally caused by violent headache, giddiness, and the intolerable burning in the mouth and throat. Heavy and difficult breathing, from the beginning of the first symptoms until seven hours afterwards, made a deep fetching of breath at regular intervals a necessity. A pressure on the cheek bones and towards the eyes indicated strong congestion of the brain. In the fourth hour general exhaustion and inclination to sleep followed, and a restless and disturbed sleep lasted two hours. After sleep the dizziness ceased as well as the pain in the stomach, but the irritation of the skin and the burning in the month continued for some hours. After partaking of some beef-tea no vomiting ensued, and I had quite recovered after a lapse of eighteen hours. I had a good appetite the next day, aud considered that aconitine caused a more acute than lasting action on the stomach, and in small doses probably only a very slight inflammation. Similar experiments with morphia caused a less acute but much more lasting disturbance of the digestive orgaas. Evidently, in my case, the aconitine was quickly and perfectly absorbed in the system.

The alkaloid could not be found by analysis in either perspiration or urine, but decided traces of it in the phlegm which was secreted during the experiment. Finding myself with the dose of 4•5th of a grain still far from a fatal dose of Continental aconitine, I proceeded to make a last trial with one grain, i.e., about half of the dose, which is considered as "dosis letalis" on the Continent.

I was in perfect health when making this experiment, and 14 days had passed away since I took the 4•5ths of a grain.

I have to say but very little on this experiment, as the symptoms were nearly the same as at the preceding trial.

The immediate action on the stomach was more quick and violent, aa also were the other symptoms, especially the sensation of drawing off the skin, which was so intolerable as to make me forget the pains in the head and stomach. Again a narcotic sleep ensued in the third hour, and lasting nearly three hours, then on awaking cessation of the pains, and continued irritation of the skin. The actual poisoning symptoms diminished afterwards in a marked manner, but lasted nearly twenty-four hours. In the saliva aa well as the vomit, the alkaloid was found by analysis—-it was not to be found in the perspiration and urine.

My friends and I myself did not think it advisable to experimentalise with a larger dose than one grain of Continental aconitine, so for the sake of comparison I determined to make two trials with the so-called "English aconitine."

Some authors asserted that 1•S0th of a grain of Morson's aconitine could act fatally, but as a result of my experiments I believe the "dosis letalis" of this preparation must be considerably higher—-probably not less than l•10th of a grain, if we have in view the English aconitine of commerce, and not the picked samples of crystallised aconitine. I took 1•120th part of a grain in solution, and in its taste and action on tongue and throat I could immediately distinguish between the Continental and the English preparation. The latter had not the slightest bitter, but a purely sharp and burning taste. As soon as the solution touched the tongue the latter seemed to become perfectly numb, and in an instant the prickling and burning was felt in the lips, passing in a few seconds to the whole interior of the mouth; the tongue soon had become insensible to touch, and rinsing with water did not lessen the intolerable sensation. In fifteen minutes violent nausea and vomiting followed; the burning sensation in the mouth predominated and increased after vomiting, and pains in the stomach accompanied a discomfort in the whole body. These pains were not contracting but burning, and somewhat stronger than those produced by a dose of German aconitine twenty times larger.

The pulse action increased for thirty minutes, sensation as of ants crawling all over the body, violent heart-beating, only faint headache and pains in the back, restlessness in the whole body, and not the slightest inclination to sleep, were the first symptoms noticed. A diminished sensibility of all parts of the body, not observable in this manner with German aconitine, was very characteristic, and increased gradually. An inclination and want to move the hands and feet constantly were felt. Evidently the small dose of English aconitine did not act so much on the brain, for actual congestion and vertigo did not ensue.

Although we most take into consideration that the dose taken was too small to make a valid comparison with German aconitine, it is, however (to judge from the former experiments), certain that the dose of 1•120th of a grain of German aconitine, would not affect the human system in a manner at all comparable with the English.

The sharp taste continued twenty-four hours, gradually diminishing, and the tongue again became active as before, the prickling of the skin and convulsive movements of the body ceased after four hours, but the pains in the back remained for nearly forty-eight hours. For several days a healthy appetite was wanting, and sleep until five days after was restless and short.

After a lapse of fourteen days I prooeeded to make a second trial with English aconitine, and this time with a dose of one-eightieth part of a grain. More violent symptoms than with the former dose ensued, and the convulsions and the pains in the book were so intense that I found it would be impossible to make further trials with Morson's preparation. The burning in the mouth and throat was quite intolerable; the tongue petrified and insensible; burning pains in the stomach, and vomiting; no signs of narcotic action as observed with Continental aconitine. A feeling, as if the skin were being drawn off the body, and violent dragging in every limb was remarkable; and daring the whole course of these acute poisoning symptoms not the slightest relief was felt, so that I bad to ask my friends present for an injection of morphia. This, however, rather increased than diminished the symptoms, so nothing remained but to let the latter take their course. They decreased already in the fourth hour, but the sharp burning taste, the pains in the back, and sleeplessness continued for several days.

From the results of the experiments here described, the difference of the effects of German and English aconitine seemed beyond doubt, and, thereforo, I thought myself justified in expressing my belief that fatal accidents, caused by mistaking these two preparations bearing the same name will be inevitable until the fact of their difference becomes perfectly known in medical works, or until German and English manufacturers choose a different term for their respective preparations. In no other case is such a difference of virulence to be remarked, and at present it will be necessary that medical men may prove that they are aware of this difference by designating as "English" or "German" aconitine the preparations they prescribe.

It is evident that the difference of German and English aconitine consists in this: Either each of the preparations contains a different alkaloid extracted from the monkshood, or one of them is a mixture of these different alkaloids. Neither the former nor the latter until now has been proved, as the two alkaloids undoubtedly contained in the monkshood have up to the present, not been separated and fully investigated.

--end

[TradeName]

Jeff,

Thanks for pointing out the C. L. McCluer Stevens book, and the info about Cornelius Hertz.

I haven't come across anything about Springmuhl's antecedents, but here's an 1882 letter signed "F. Springmuhl" which claims practical experience with a poison:

Pharmaceutical Journal: A Weekly Record of Pharmacy and Allied Sciences, March 25, 1882, Pages 790-792

POISONING BY ACONITINE.

The following letter appeared in the Standard on Wednesday last:—

"In a notorious case [George Henry Lamson?] recently before the courts in reference to aconitine poisoning, a very important and practical scientific point was not mentioned by counsel nor by the scientific experts; and I beg. therefore, to call your attention to the following facts, which I had the opportunity of observing and proving during a scries of prolonged scientific researches (in the chemical laboratory of the University of Breslau, Germany) into the properties of the different kinds of alkaloids of the 'Aconitum' plants.

"Like the opium, or the Papaver somniferum, and other poisonous plants, the monkshood or aconitum contains doubtless more than one poisonous alkaloid, each of which is different from the other. This fact, apparently, is not sufficiently recognized in England. Morson's aconitine is not the real pure aconitine as obtained in the laboratories and chemical works of the continent of Europe and America by a well-known process from Aconitum Napellus, Aconitum ferox, or other kind of monkshood. It differs toxicologically and constitutionally from pure aconitine, and is manufactured according to a method which is unknown except to the manufacturer. This fact generally is acknowledged by scientific men on the continent, who call Morson's aconitine in their works 'Pseudo-Aconitine,' or 'Acraconitine,' and often 'English Aconitine.'

"Supposing Morson's aconitine to be employed in recipes made up on the basis of real aconitine, it is inevitable that fatal consequences will follow. Morson's preparation in its toxicological effects answers rather those of a concentrated extract of monkshood which contains the whole of the virulent properties of this plant. According to the actual chemical nomenclature, this preparation has no right to the name of 'aconitine,' just as an extract of opium cannot be called 'morphia,' or an extract of Atropa belladonna ' atropine.'

"The difference of real aconitine and Morson's preparation appears from the following facts:—

"1. All samples of aconitine received from different laboratories and chemical works all over the world show a conspicuous similarity in their constitution; while the elementary analysis of Morson's preparation gives always other figures than those of real, pure aconitine.

"2. Morson's aconitino differs in appearance and bete from the real aconitine.

"3. Real, pure aconitine is different from Morson's preparation in its toxicological effects. I myself have made many experiments on animals, and I found that Morson's preparation is deadly in the very smallest dose, and in its effects resembles an extract of monkshood; while real aconitine, given in the same quantity, does not produce any serious symptoms.

"A poor lamented friend of mine some years ago committed suicide, and used for this purpose pure aconitine. He took 0•5 gram, and died from its effects only after twelve hours' suffering; while if he had taken Morson's preparation O•005.would probably have caused death in three or four hours.

"To satisfy myself about fthe effects and symptoms produced by this alkaloid, I have myself taken progressively up to 0•05 gram of aconitine, and after twentyfour hours had quite recovered from its poisonous effects.

"On the continent 0•1 gram is regarded as dosis letalis of aconitine; while 0•001 gram of Morson's preparation, perhaps, would prove fatal.

"It seems almost certain that the plant 'Aconitum' contains at least two separate poisonous alkaloids, different from each other, and which until now have not been satisfactorily inquired into.

"Two possibilities, therefore, present themselves to the mind—viz., Morson's preparation may be one of these two alkaloids, while the'continental aconitine is the other one; or Morson's' preparation fis a mixture of the twin either case, it is wrong to designate Morson's preparation 'aconitine.'

"As long as both—-viz., Morson's preparation and the continental aconitine—-are, as now in England, indiscriminately called 'aconitine,' accidents will be inevitable, if Morson's preparation is used for recipes where in scientific works aconitine' is prescribed.

"F. Springmuhl
15, Gower Street, W., March 21, 1882."

--end

The Journal goes on to dispute Springmuhl's letter.

[Mayerling]

Re: Weissenfeld / De Villiers, etc.

Hi TradeName,

I have in my library a book of "potted" true crime story - biographies by one C. L. McCluer Stevens. It is called "Famous Crimes and Criminals" (New York: Duffield & Co., 1924), and has a chapter on the career of "George Ferdinand Springmuhl von Weissenfeld, alias Dr. Ronald de Villiers, alias Astor, alias Singer, alias Weller, alias Wild...." This is Chapter IV: "The Strange Story of the Anarchist Millionaire" (p. 22 - 29). I have problems with McCluer Stevens, as he does not get facts straight all the time. He claimed von Weissenfeld came from a good family (his father was a German jurist), but turned bad. He also claims that von Weissenfeld poisoned himself when he was captured. But it is the only other time I have found a reference to this character (outside of this thread).

There is another dubious doctor from San Francisco whose career in finance shook up a European country around the time of the Ripper. Dr. Cornelius Hertz was one of the swindlers involved in the "Panama" Scandal of 1889 that ripped into the French government showing many public servants were covering up the monumental disaster of the De Lesseps attempt to build a Panama Canal (1881 - 1889). The result was a series of trials and prison terms for Fernand De Lesseps, his son, Gustav Eiffel (of the "Tower" fame), George Clemenceau (the scandal almost ended his career) and others. Hertz never was tried - he conveniently died before the trials were set.

Jeff

[TradeName]

Here's an alternate link to the volume of the Strand with the Sweeney article.

The following is an account attributed to the non-existent American millionaire which expands on the references to the solicitor Wyatt Digby in Sweeney's Strand article. In short, Digby was engaged to defend George Bedborough against a charge of corrupting public morals by selling a copy of a book by Havelock Ellis, published by de Villiers' University Press. Digby accepted funding from the Free Press Defense Committee, which been established more with the intention of defending the Ellis book than with defending Bedborough as an individual. Rather than contest the charges in court, Digby worked out a deal where Bedborough pled guilty to avoid a prison sentence. Our old friend Horace Avory was the barrister in the Bedborough case.

Darwin on trial at the Old Bailey, by Democritus (19.. [i.e., 1898]), link

Author: Coulson, F. Raymond (Frederick Raymond), 1864-1922; Singer, George Astor
Subject: Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882; Ellis, Havelock, 1859-1939
Publisher: London, University press
Possible copyright status: NOT_IN_COPYRIGHT
Language: English
Call number: nrlf_ucb:GLAD-100702881
Digitizing sponsor: MSN
Book contributor: University of California Libraries
Collection: cdl; americana
Scanfactors: 31

Includes:

Judicial Scandals and Errors by "G. Astor Singer"

Pages 46-59

On May 31st, 1898, Mr. G. B. Higgs, who, under the name of
George Bedborough, carried on the business of a publisher and
bookseller in London, was arrested by the police for "publishing
an obscene libel with the intention of corrupting the morals of
Her Majesty's subjects."

The book on which this charge was based was Dr. Havelock
Ellis's first volume of his great work "Studies in the Psychology
of Sex." The accused had nothing to do with the production of
this book, neither as author nor as printer or publisher. He had
simply sold copies of the same to disguised detectives. The police
authorities were fully aware that the author was a well-known man
of science, that the printer was Mr. A. Bonner of Tooks Court,
and that the publishers were the University Press, as these names
appeared on the book in bold type.

Dr. Havelock Ellis appeared in person at the first and second
hearing of the charge before the magistrate, declaring through bis
counsel that be was prepared to undertake the whole responsibility
for the incriminated publication.

The publishers were also represented at the police-court pro-
ceedings by Messrs. C. 0. Humphreys and Son, the well-known
solicitors.

For some reason or other Dr. Havelock Ellis's offer did not suit
the prosecution nor Sir John Bridge the magistrate, who stated
that not the writing or publishing of the book in cpuestion but
the sale to the detectives, i.e. the indiscriminate sale alleged
to have been practised by Mr. Bedborough, constituted the offence.
Articles contained in the Adult, a magazine owned and edited
by the accused, were included in the charge, and Mr. Bedborough
was committed for trial.

It was soon apparent that Dr. Havelock Ellis's work was not
the real, or at least not the principal, object of this prosecution,
but that it was aimed at the University Press Limited, which had
published a number of philosophical, social, and theological works.
The University Press also owned the University Magazine and
Free Review, a periodical devoted to the free discussion of political,
social, and religious subjects.

Bedborough, besides his own publications, sold the books and
magazines published by the University Press in the same way as
other London booksellers and on the same terms. But his connec-
tion with the Legitimation League, a society founded for the pur-
pose of securing equal rights for legitimate and illegitimate
children, gave the prosecution a welcome opportunity to cast a slur
upon a firm of respectable publishers, who were never in any way
connected with this society, or with any of Mr. Bedborough' s
undertakings.

It cannot be ascertained who hides behind the Commissioners of
Police, who appeared as nominal prosecutors in these proceedings,
but from the facts hereafter explained the reader will infer that
the police have acted throughout on higher orders.

The first suspicion that Dr. Havelock Ellis's work formed only
the pretext for an unheard of persecution arose in the minds of
the defence through the fact that the police in raiding Mr. Bed-
borough's premises seized all the books lately published by the
University Press, particularly

The Free Review, edited by Of. Astor Singer.

The University Magazine, edited by Dr. R. de Villiers.

Pseudo-Philosophy at the End of the Nineteenth Century, by
Hugh Mortimer Cecil.

The Dynamics of Religion, an essay in English Culture History,
by M. W. Wiseman.

The Saxon and the Celt, by John M. Robertson.

Montaigne and Shakspere, by John M. Robertson.

The Blight of Respectability, by Geoffrey Mortimer.

None of these publications did ever form or could ever have been
the object of a direct prosecution, yet the police seized these works
indiscriminately, and it became evident from this and subsequent
proceedings that English prejudice and prudery were to be worked
for what they were worth for the purpose of suppressing publications
which were in no way connected with the alleged offence "of pub-
lishing an obscene libel with the intention of corrupting the morals
of Her Majesty's subjects."

This secret intention is proved beyond doubt by the speech of the
counsel for the prosecution at the trial, which I will fully examine
in its true light hereafter.

It must be of interest to the lawyer as well as to the student of
politics to learn how successfully this plan to suppress a well-
known magazine and to send its editor into exile has been carried
out by those entrusted with the task.

Studies in the Psychology of Sex.

The first volume of Dr. Havelock Ellis's work Studies in the
Psychology of Sex was published by the University Press Limited
in February, 1898. It was the first and only work on the vital
question of sex published by this firm, whose managing director
and principal shareholder I am. As such I share the responsi-
bility for its publication with the author.

Dr. R. de Villiers, the Editor of the University Magazine, in
1897 called my attention to the German edition of this volume,
and to the general praise which the same had found in scientific
circles on the Continent and in the United States of America. The
name of the illustrious author of many scientific works .however
would alone have been a guarantee; for me that the book was of the
highest and noblest aim, and that it was written in the true scien-
tific spirit Avhich characterises Dr. llaveloek Ellis's well-known
writings.

Indeed my decision to publish this book needs no justification
before the scientific world. I submitted the M.S. to medical men
and to psychologists, who unanimously declared it to be of the
greatest importance, not only for the medical profession, but also
for teachers, lawyers, clergymen, and students of psychological
problems.

So I decided upon its publication, and the book was printed by
Mr. A. Bonner.

As however it was not desirable that this book should come into
the hands of inexperienced youth I gave instructions that all copies
supplied to booksellers, including, of course, those supplied by the
University Press to Mr. Bedborough, should bear a label with the
inscription :

"This book is a scientific work intended for Medical Men, Lawyers, and Teachers.
It should not be placed into the hands of the general public."

To Mr. Bedborough-Higgs the book was supplied in the usual
way, and the only explanation why the authorities selected this
man out of many other booksellers in London who sold the book is
that he was connected with, or rather that he was the moving spirit
in, a society which advocated "Freedom in Sexual Relationship," a
Free-Love Society, of which he was the head and soul. Another
reason may have been that Bedborough-Higgs was without means,
and thus, as the police was led to believe, would be unable to defend
himself against a powerful official prosecution. Anyhow, as sub-
sequent events proved, the police authorities were right in their
calculation that poor Bedborough-Higgs was not made of a
material to withstand the attack. He collapsed ignominiously,
and to the joy of the prosecution cut a very sorry figure in the
subsequent proceedings.

A Solicitor's Chance.

The most interesting part of the comedy is the association of the
accused with a London solicitor for the purpose of extracting
money from the public for his defence which this gentleman never
intended to carry through, as proved subsequently by counsel for
the prosecution in his speech before the Recorder of London.

A few days after Bedborough's arrest I received in New York a
cable from Dr. de Villiers, the Editor of the University Magazine,
requesting me to guarantee at least part of the expenses for the
defence of the accused, and particularly the payment of counsel's
fees. I consented, and part of the money was paid to Mr. Wyatt
Digby, the solicitor selected by Mr. Bedborough for his defence.

"A storm of indignation," Dr. de Villiers wrote, "has broken
over the country, and especially over the scientific world, when
the new practice of prosecuting a bookseller for selling a scientific
work became known through the newspapers. A protest was
raised by medical and anthropological societies against this wanton
attack on an author's repute. We must have funds for the defence,
as Bedborough is a poor devil, and you should guarantee the pay-
ment of counsel's fees and solicitor's costs to a limited amount,
Avhile a Free Press Defence Committee is formed to provide
further funds."

Unacquainted with the bye-ways of the laws in England and
the tricks of London solicitors, I was unaware that by providing
these funds I practically caused the insult offered to the author
by the prosecution at the trial, and, in fact, the collapse of the
defence, which it was intended to place on a sound basis by
engaging a leading counsel to defend the accused as well as author
and publisher.

How the Police Proceeded.

A Scotland Yard detective, Mr. Sweeney, one of those innocent
souls, whose morals are so easily corrupted, was sent into the lion's
den to prove that the secretary of the Legitimation League sold
books with intent to corrupt the morals of Her Majesty s subjects.

He represented himself as a friend of L. Harman, the president
of the Legitimation League, and showed himself enthusiastic for
the cause of securing equal rights for legitimate and illegitimate
children. Mr. Sweeney accepted an invitation to the meeting and
annual dinner of the League, at which he was present listening to
the speeches of other enthusiasts. It seems that these proceedings
wore rather harmless, anyhow the detective's morals had not been
corrupted then and there, so that to attain the object in view he
cultivated the secretary's friendship with the view of obtaining
better evidence of his pernicious designs on English morality.

Amongst the many books sold by Mr. Bedborough he found one
with an attractive and yet mysterious title : "Studies in the
Psychology of Sex," by Dr. Havelock Ellis. Forthwith he
acquired a copy, and to prove the sale and the mercenary
corruption of his morals, he paid for it. As the detective is a
grown-up man, and as his innocence was concealed, Mr. Bedborough
knowing him only as an enthusiastic follower of the
Legitimation League, of course he obtained a copy of this scientific
work without any difficulty. After corrupting his morals with it
he took it straight to the Commissioner of Police, whose morals no
doubt were likewise corrupted, so that the inevitable consequence
was that Mr. Sweeney received instructions to swear an information
at the Bow Street Police Court, which in due course led to
the arrest of Mr. Bedborough, and to the seizure of all the dangerous
books in his possession. The magistrate, shocked by the
accused's depravity as described in Mr. Sweeney's information,
refused to admit the prisoner to bail, but at a later application
fixed it at £1,000.

Thus for the English public the gravity of the offence was
established forthwith and beforehand.

At the conclusion of the proceedings before the magistrate, Mr.
Avory, representing Mr. Bedborough, and seeing that Sir John
Bridge had made up his mind to send the case for trial, said that
he could not hope to convert the learned magistrate from the view
to which he had given expression, and would only say that the
accused was prepared to contend that the works referred to in the
case were not obscene.

"I shall be prepared to maintain that this is not an obscene publication,
but a scientific work if it be approached — as it is intended it should be —
by persons of scientific mind and a desire to learn. (Mr. Avory went on to
quote the case of 'Reg. v. Hickling,' with the object of showing that the
question of obscenity of a work depended upon the method of its publication.
Many scientific works would be obscene if they were published broadcast at
the corner of the street; but they were not obscene if they were only circulated
among scientific men.) The price and method of the publication of the
'Sexual Inversion' showed that that was the intention in this case. The
practices mentioned in the book were not advocated by tbe author, as the
prosecution had stated, and at the proper time he would challenge his
learned friend to prove what he had stated on this point. In conclusion
Mr. Avory read the last paragraph in the book as follows:— 'Here we may
leave the question of Sexual Inversion. In dealing with it I have sought
to avoid that attitude of moral superiority which is so common in the literature
of this subject, and have refrained from pointing out how loathsome
this phenomenon is, and how hideous. Such an attitude is as much out of
place in scientific investigation as it is in judicial investigation, and may well
be left to the amateur. The physician who feels anything of disgust at the
sight of disease is unlikely to bring either succour to his patients or instruction
to his pupils.'"

Sir John Bridge, when committing the accused for trial, had
all the information concerning the author's, printer's, and
publisher's part in this publication before him, yet no action was
taken against either, and the indictment, which included certain
articles in the Adult, was practically confined to the way of selling
the incriminated book and magazine.

[...]

The committal of Mr. Bedborough took place on June 21st, and
the time which elapsed since then to the day of the mock trial on
October 31st was used by the Free Press Defence Committee to
collect funds for the defence of the accused, and in this endeavour
its able secretary, who devoted much of his time and energy to
this task, was fairly successful.

But, alas! in the meantime Mr. Bedborough and his shrewd
solicitor had discovered that the cheapest and most profitable way
out of the difficulty would be to come to terms with the Commissioners
of Police, and to appropriate the funds.

Although it is not likely that Mr. Wyatt Digby divided the
spoil with Mr. Bedborough, there is not the least doubt that the
latter played into his hands by concealing his arrangement with
the prosecution from the Committee and from myself, and thereby
caused the amount of about £400 to be passed into the possession
of the solicitors.

[...]

Mr. Bedborough, according to counsel's statement, after his com-
mittal, went to Scotland Yard, and by the authorities there was
allowed to make a statement to the effect that he was only a very
subordinate sub-agent of the Editor of the University Magazine,
Dr. R. de Villiers, and that this gentleman was the real culprit.
He offered to plead guilty to three counts in the indictment as a
matter of form if the prosecution would give him a guarantee that
he would not be sent to prison.

The Commissioners of Police, if they were the real prosecutors
in this prosecution, must have had grave doubts as to the success
of the impending trial, or there must have been some other reasons
that they decided to accept the bargain proposed by Mr. Bedborough.

It may be that they were incensed by Dr. de Yilliers's letter to
the Home Secretary, and felt a kind of satisfaction in substituting
that gentleman for the wretched prisoner who made this proposal.

As matters stood the proposed settlement would amount to a
victory for the police, a clever speech by counsel would make it
appear a real triumph over these wicked publishers, and smaller
obstacles could easily be overcome.

Indeed such an arrangement, if not quite honest and above
board, seemed satisfactory to all parties immediately concerned, to
the prosecution, to the accused, and last, not least, to the solicitor
for the defence, Mr. Wyatt Digby, who, without paying counsel's
fees, could easily manage to retain the large amount received for
the defence.

Not less interesting than the carrying out of the arrangement
arrived at between the parties is the story of Mr. Wyatt Digby's
successful endeavour to get hold of as much money for the defence
of his client as could possibly be obtained under the circumstances.
Part of his scheme was to keep the arrangement secret until a few
days before the trial, and in the meantime to secure the largest
possible amount from the two sources which were open to him.

[...]

--end

A mention of the action the Committee took against Digby:

The Bedborough Case-Balance Sheet (1899), link

Author: Free Press Defence Committee
Volume: no. 255
Subject: Bedborough, George
Publisher: [S.l.] : The Executive of the Free Press Defence Committee
Language: English
Digitizing sponsor: Brigham Young University
Book contributor: Harold B. Lee Library
Collection: victorianbrighamyounguniv; brigham_young_university; americana

[...]

Strong and persistent efforts have been made by the Executive
Committee to obtain from the Solicitor, Mr. Wyatt Digby, his
bill of costs, and other information as to how the large sums paid
to him had been used or expended. As these efforts were un-
availing, and as it was found that no counsel's fees had been paid,
the Executive joined with the University Press in bringing Mr.
Digby's conduct before the Incorporated Law Society. On
January 12th Mr. Seymour, the Hon. Secretary, gave evidence
before that Society on behalf of the Executive. The case against
Mr. Digby is not yet finished, but if it should happen that any
part of the sum which the Executive paid him is recovered from
him, it will be added to the Permanent Fund.

[...]

--end

[TradeName]

An article which gives a fuller version of the Weissenfeld name:

West Gippsland Gazette (Warragul, Vic.) May 6, 1902, Page 5

MEN OF MANY ALIASES GIGANTIC FRAUD TRACED.

On 14th January, it will be remembered, a man known as Professor de Villiers died shortly after his arrest in a mansion at Cambridge. He was wanted on a charge of being concerned in the publication of some improper prints, and only after an exciting hunt was he secured. He was found hiding in a secret cupboard under the roof. The name De Villiers is now alleged to be an alias of George Ferdinand Springmuhl von Weissenfeld, the promoter of the Brandy Distillers Co. Ltd., of which the Oflic:al Receiver has some startling things to say in its report on its liquidation.

The winding-up order was made on the petition of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue for unpaid income tax. The company was registered in 1891, with a registered office at 2 Broad street Buildings. This was a single room, and was always kept locked. The company succeeded the Concentrated Produce Company. Von Weissenfeld, the promoter, was a bankrupt. There were five directors and a manager. One of these gentlemen lived in Belgium, and knew nothing about the company, while the others were non-existent, and Von Weissenfeld himself was manager, auditor and secret:ary. The company paid 10 per cent dividend throughout, but had no business. The warehouses, vineyards, etc., shown on the prospectus belonged to a well-known firm of brandy exporters, and the premises said to be in Hamburg were not to be found.

The balance-sheet for 1900 showed a very flourishing state of affairs, but in point of fact it was all a fabrication.

Mr Barnes's conclusions are that the company was an alias or Von Weissen feld, who had conducted no business. but fraudulently collected money from shareholders (part of which had been returned as dividend), and that the accounts of the company were fictitious, and its assets non-existent.

Among other names used by Von Weissenfeld were those of Weller, Win ter, Wild, Willing, Perrier, Grant, Wilson and Davies. Steps are now being taken to recover some of the property standing in other names, but believed to belong to Von Weissenfeld.-"Daily MaiL"

--end

The winding-report:

The Accountant, Volume 29, January 24, 1903, Pages 140-141

Companies (Winding-Up)

Eleventh General Annual Report by the Board of Trade Under Section 29 of the Companies (Winding-up) Act, 1890

[...]

The Brandy Distillers Company, Lim., furnishes an illustration almost unique in the annals of joint-stock enterprise of the manner in which the public become shareholders in companies on the faith of printed prospectuses and reports, without any knowledge of the persons responsible for their direction and management. The company was formed in 1891 "to carry on the busisness of vine growers, distillers, and manufacturers of concentrated grape juice, and other business connected with the wine and spirit trade." The purchase-price to be paid for a property in France was £15,000 in fully-paid shares. The names of five directors, with their addresses in Paris and London, together with those of a manager, secretary, and solicitor, were set out in the prospectus. The capital, originally £5,000, was increased in 1892 to £30,000, and subsequently in 1898 to £40,000. Balance Sheets, Profit and Loss, and Trading Accounts, duly audited, were published every year, showing a highly prosperous and progressive business. Dividends of 10 per cent, were declared annually, and according to "Burdett" for 1901, the reserve fund amounted to £8,750, "which is to be increased annually by at least "£300 per annum," and "no borrowing powers can be exercised without the sanction of a general meeting." The annual report of the company for 1892 states that "the larger part" (of the company's produce) "has been "distilled in the Charente at the company's works"; that for 1896 contains the following:—"We have com"menced storing part of our production in the warehouses at Chateauneuf with the view of increasing its value by maturing," and "the directors have bought "at an exceptionally cheap price some vineyards at Chateauneuf, where the Folic Blanche grape is cultivated." The company was ordered to be wound up during the past year on the petition of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, who claimed income tax on the profits appearing in the Balance Sheets, which had not been paid; and it was then ascertained by the investigations of the Official Receiver that the company's business was a myth, which had been conceived and carried on in the fertile brain of Mr. deorge Ferdinand Springmuhl von Weissenfeld, an undischarged bankrupt under a receiving order made in 1891; that the directors, manager, secretary, and auditor were simply various aliases of this person; that it had no vineyards, stock, or other property; and that during the ten years of its existence its business had, according to the Official Receiver, consisted of "fraudulently collecting capital from shareholders, which has been partially returned in the form of dividends, and that the accounts of the company, are fictitious and the assets non-existent." The company professed to hold its annual meetings in Paris, or elsewhere abroad, where English shareholders were not likely to attend. It made regular returns at Somerset House, and was supposed to have a large body of foreign shareholders, but as the capital was issued from time to time in the form of share warrants to bearer, it was impossible for anyone to verify the facts or to obtain any information as to details. For the same reason it has been impossible in the liquidation to ascertain with accuracy how much capital has been issued; but the Official Receiver reports that at November last he had discovered 51 Knglish and two foreign shareholders, of whom many had been led by the continuous payment of dividends to increase their holding, the following being given as a typical case:—"A "shareholder in 1895 purchased 450 shares; in 1897 he subscribed for 330 shares, and afterwards purchased 500; in 1898 he subscribed for 720 shares; in 1899 he purchased 750 shares; and in 1900 he subscribed for 1,250 shares, making a total of 4,000 shares, for which he paid £4,000." The facts of the case were only sradually ascertained by exhaustive inquiries in various directions, in the course of which Von Weissenfeld's connection with the company was at last established to the Official Receiver's satisfaction. Meanwhile the latter was arrested by the police in January last, on a charge of issuing indecent literature, but his death, which happened immediately after that event, put an end to any possibility of further proceedings.

[...]

--end