Analysis of the Atropa Belladonna. 147 



The above quantity of charcoal, independently of that 

 which was incrusted in the retort by the violence of the 

 fire, and which I could not detach, is more considerable 

 than any furnished by most of the other vegetable matters 

 which I have hitherto had occasion to distill ; for the 2*7 

 grammes of extract, in the state in which I took it, certainly 

 contained more than 0'7 of a gramme of water and of ni- 

 trate and acetate of potash. 



It seems that it also contains a great quantity of azote 

 and of hydrogen, since it gave on distillation a great deal 

 of ammonia, prussic acid, and oil. But as this matter may 

 have contained a little nitrate, I supposed that a part at 

 least of the azote, forming the ammonia and the prussic 

 acid, had been produced by the nitric acid. 



In order to clear up this doubt, I mixed six grammes of 

 gum arabic, believed not to contain any azote, with a 

 tenth part of saltpetre, and after submitting it to distilla- 

 tion I examined the products. The liquid which passed was 

 in part ammoniacal, and its smell became still stronger by 

 the addition of potash \ which proves that an acid was 

 formed at the' same time with the alkali. 



The charcoal remaining in the retort, weighing two 

 grammes, and which was extremely phosphoric, contained 

 prussiate of potash, like that of my matter. But although 

 1 employed in this experiment three times more gum, and 

 probably more saltpetre, this mixture did not furnish such 

 a great quantity of ammonia or prussic acid as the nauseous 

 principle of the belladonna did. 



Taking it for granted, therefore, that the saltpetre con- 

 tained in the two grammes of this principle had given rise 

 to prussic acid and to ammonia, we ought not to infer that 

 the vegetable matter in question lias not furnished some 

 itself. This is the more probable, as its solution is preci- 



{)itated by the infusion of gall nuts. However this may 

 >e, the experiment proves that it is difficult to judge by 

 distillation, whether the organic matters which contain salt- 

 petre are of a vegetable or animal nature. 



The results of this analysis, although still very imperfect, 

 are nevertheless sufficient to show that the article in ques- 

 tion contains a considerable quantity of charcoal, hvdrogen, 

 and azote, and but little oxygen, if we may judge by the 

 small quantity of carbonic acid which is formed during its 

 decomposition in the fire. 



From what lias been said, may we be permitted to infer 

 that the narcotic effects of belladonna on the animal cecono- 

 my are owing to the superabundance of the radical com- 



K 2 bustibles, 



