171 



II. Chemical Science. 



§ Chemistry. 



1. Veratrine, anew Vegetable Alcalu — M. M. Pelletier and 

 Caventou, have been actively engaged in searching amongst 

 those vegetables which possess strong powers over the animal 

 system, for new alcalis or other principles ; they have lately 

 succeeded in finding one in the veratrum sabadilla, or cevadilla, 

 the veratrum album, or white hellebore, and the colchicum 

 autumnaley or meadow saffron. It is an alcali, and has been 

 named Veratrine. 



The substance principally acted upon, was the seed of the 

 cevadilla. Ether separated from them a yellow,'greasy^ unctuous, 

 acid substance, being a mixture of elaine, stearine, and a pe- 

 culiar acid. The acid was obtained by distilling the substance, 

 saturating the portion that passed over with barytes, evaporating 

 to dryness which produced a white salt, adding phosphoric acid 

 which caused the appearance of crystals, and distilling at a 

 low heat, when the acid passed over. This acid is crystallizable, 

 soluble in water, fusible and volatile at a low temperature, 

 soluble in ether and alcohol, and forms salts with bases. It 

 has been called the Cevadic acid. 



The seeds were then acted on by boiling alcohol, which,, as 

 it cooled, deposited a little wax. The solution was evaporated 

 down to an extract, re-dissolved in water and again concen- 

 trated by evaporation, during which, a portion of colouring 

 matter fell. Acetate of lead was poured into the solution, and 

 an abundant yellow precipitate fell, leaving the fluid nearly 

 colourless. The excess of lead was tlirown down by sulphu- 

 retted hydrogen, and the filtered liquor concentrated by eva- 

 poration, was treated with magnesia and again filtered. 

 The precipitate boiled in alcohol gave a solution which, on 

 evaporation, left a pulverulent matter, extremely bitter, and 

 with decidedly alcaline characters. It was at first yellow, but 

 by solution in alcohol and precipitation by water, was obtained 

 in a fine white powder. 



The precipitate by the acetate of lead, on examination, gav£ 



