6 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OF [Biolog. 



phuric acid diluted with absolute alcohol was then added for the purpose 

 of draining off the acetic acid. The alcohol was removed by evaporation. 

 and the sulphuric acid precipitated by baryta. The excess of the latter 

 was separated by carbonic acid, the liquid was next filtered and concen- 

 trated in the water bath, and the curarin thus obtained further dried in 

 cactio. 



Obtained by either of these processes, curarin is a solid transparent 

 resinoid substance, of a pale yellow color, very hygroscopic and soluble 

 to almost any extent in water and alcohol. Its taste is exceedingly 

 bitter. The solution in water restores the blue color to reddened litmus 

 paper, neutralizes acids, and forms salts with them, easily soluble in water. 

 but uncrystallizable. 



Curarin gives with concentrated nitric acid, a blood red color, and 

 with concentrated sulphuric acid a carmine tint. 



Heintz proceeded as follows : To the aqueous solution of the woorara, 

 tannic acid was added, and an abundant precipitate soluble in boiling 

 water was obtained. This was taken from the filter, boiled with magne- 

 sia, and then evaporated to dryness. The extract thus obtained was 

 then treated with alcohol, to remove it from any insoluble salts of magne- 

 sia, and the solution again evaporated to dryness. By this means a yel- 

 lowish brown extract was obtained, possessing no alkaline reaction, but 

 endowed in a eminent degree with the toxic principle of the woorara. 

 Heintz does not regard this extract as at all pure ; subsequently he em- 

 ployed both the bichlorides of mercury and platinum, to effect the pre- 

 cipitation, but with no better success, a yellowish extract being still ob- 

 tained. 



Heintz ascertained by Lassaigne's method that the extract contained 

 nitrogen ; he also found sugar, gum, resin, extractive matter and tannic 

 and gallic acids ; traces of saline combinations with organic acids, probably 

 the tartaric and oxalic were also detected. He was unable to discern 

 the least trace of strychnia. 



We think it highly probable, that the woorara examined by Heintz 

 was very far from being of identical character with that analysed by 

 Roulin and Boussingault and Pelletier and Petroz. The difference in 

 the process employed is not sufficient to account for the very dissimilar 

 product obtained by Heintz. His method was certainly such as to have 

 separated any alkafoidal principle present The substance he did obtain 

 was probably nothing but a purified and more highly concentrated 

 woorara, deprived of its woody fibre, starch, silica, &c. 



We now proceed to detail the several steps in a qualitative analysis. 

 made of the con oval and vao. 



A few grains of corroval were subjected to the action of ether. From 

 the solution thus obtained, oil-globules were deposited on evapora- 

 tion, together with a number of minute acicular crystals, insoluble in 

 water, but completely dissolved by hot alcohol and ether. Globular masses 

 of a supposed resin were also present. 



To another portion, water was added till it was completely extracted 

 of all its bitter principle. The residue was perceived to contain several 

 masses apparently of a fatty character. On subjecting this substance to 

 the action of hot ether, it was entirely dissolved, and on evaporating the 

 solution from a slip of glass, and viewing the residue with the microscope, 

 numerous delicate acicular crystals collected in groups and radiating 

 from a central nucleus were perceived. These were soluble inhot alcohol. 

 The remaining portion was in the form of oil-globules. 



[April. 



