Intelligence arid Miscellaneous Articles. 153 



colour to it ; the modified quinetin, on the contrary, is soluble in 

 water, and the solution has a blood-red colour. 



' Modified Quinetin is an amorphous mass, of a red colour, has a 

 bitter taste, and is soluble in water, alcohol and aether ; when the 

 aqueous solution is boiled, in order to evaporate it to dryness, it is 

 decomposed, and deposits a black powder which is insoluble in al- 

 cohol and aether. 



Potash and ammonia decolorize the aqueous solution of this sub- 

 stance, which from red becomes of a dirty yellow colour ; it is not, 

 however, altered, as cinchonetin is, for by saturating the alkali with 

 sulphuric acid, the original may always be restored. Modified qui- 

 netin dissolves in the concentrated sulphuric and nitric acid, and im- 

 parts its colour to them. 



Quinetin. — By the spontaneous evaporation of the alcoholic solu- 

 tion, this substance may be obtained for the most part crystallized. 

 It is insoluble in water, but dissolves extremely well in alcohol, 

 aether, and water acidulated with sulphuric acid ; to the first two 

 solvents it gives a violet colour, and to the last a red one. Although 

 this substance is insoluble in water, its alcoholic solution is not ren- 

 dered turbid by the addition of water. 



Potash and ammonia act upon it in the same way as upon the 

 modified quinetin. 



The concentrated acids dissolve quinetin and acquire a red colour ; 

 it probably passes to the state of modified quinetin. 



By repeated solutions and evaporations, quinetin may be rendered 

 soluble in water, and it then appears to possess all the properties of 

 modified quinetin. 



Morphia. — Morphetin amorphous, brown and slightly bitter, little 

 soluble in alcohol, but imparts a yellow colour to it ; on the other 

 hand it is very soluble in distilled water, to which it gives a red- 

 dish-yellow colour, and the property of reddening litmus paper. 

 Sulphuric and nitric acids turn the colour of this solution to pale 

 yellow, whereas it becomes deeper by the caustic alkalies. Sub- 

 acetate of lead does not alter or precipitate this solution ; concen- 

 trated sulphuric acid dissolves morphetin with difficulty, but nitric 

 acid dissolves it readily and acquires a yeUow colour. Morphetin, 

 when submitted to the action of peroxide of lead, till efi^ervescence 

 ceases, is converted into a yellow deliquescent uncrystallizable sub- 

 stance, possessing acid properties. 



Narcotina. — Narcotein is an amorphous, uncrystallizable mass of 

 a brown colour and very bitter taste ; it is very slightly soluble in 

 aether, but readily so in water and alcohol ; it is soluble in concen- 

 trated nitric acid, and renders it yellow ; it also dissolves, and with 

 great facility, in concentrated sulphuric acid, rendering it of a magni- 

 ficent red colour, which becomes yellow on the addition of water. 



The aqueous solution of narcotein is of a yellow colour ; when 

 either ammonia or potash is added to it, the colour becomes rather 

 brighter, and reddish-brown, Subacetate of lead does not alter 

 either its colour or transparency. 



When narcotein is subjected to the action of nascent oxygen, until 



