[ 363 ] 



LXIV. On the Composition of Narcotine, and some of its 

 products of Decomposition by the action of Bichloride of 

 Platinum. By J. Blyth, M.D.^ 



"I^ARCOTINE has been analysed by M. Liebig, Pelletier 

 -^ and Regnault. From these analyses, although agreeing 

 in the relative proportion of the constituents, different for- 

 muloB have been deduced, arising from the dissimilar atomic 

 weights admitted by each. 



The original method adopted by M. Liebig for determining 

 the atomic weight, was by saturating a known portion of nar- 

 cotine with hydrochloric acid gas, and after expelling the 

 excess of acid in a drying apparatus by a current of air, the 

 increase of weight of the original substance indicated the 

 amount of acid which had entered into combination. The 

 number found by this method was 4799 f. 



The analysis gave in a hundred parts — 



Carbon 65*00 



Hydrogen 5*50 



Nitrogen 2*51 



Oxygen 26*99 



The formula deduced from which was C40 Hgo N Oig. 



M. Regnault, in a later research on the constitution of the 

 organic alkalies, investigated very carefully the atomic weight 

 and composition of narcotine J. The plan pursued by him 

 was the same as that employed by M. Liebig. Different 

 portions of narcotine saturated with hydrochloric acid gas 

 gave 5139, 5127*6, 5253 as the atomic weights. The compo- 

 sition after combustion expressed in 100 parts was found to be 



I. 11. III. 



Carbon . . 64'-91 65*30 64.-98 



Hydrogen . 5*96 5*99 5*73 



Nitrogen . . 3*46 3*52 



Oxygen . . 25*67 25*19 



Taking the mean of the first two of the above weights, 5139, 

 5127*6, which also agreed nearly with the number 5100*3 ob- 

 tained by Robiquet from hydrochlorate of narcotine crystal- 

 lized from alcohol, M. Regnault constructed the formula C44 



H^gNOlg. 



* Communicated by the Chemical Society; having been read May 20, 

 1844. 



-f- Anncden der Pharmacies band vi. p. 35. 

 X Ann. de Chim. et de Phys., t. Ixviii. p. 139. 



