378 Dr. Blyth on the Composition of Narcotine. 



The heinipinic acid is, as stated before, a product of the 

 decomposition of opianic acid. 



The same precaution of conducting the oxidation in an 

 atmosphere of hydrogen was also here observed. The lime- 

 water became only very slightly opalescent after continuing 

 the ebullition for a considerable time. The evolution of 

 carbonic acid at this stage may be owing to the small quan- 

 tity of cotarnin accompanying in most cases the formation of 

 narcogenin ; but more probably to the decomposition of the 

 latter, which by further oxidation is converted into opianic 

 or hemipinic acid, with disengagement of carbonic acid. Of 

 the decomposition of platinchloride of narcogenin in this 

 manner I convinced myself by direct experiment. A portion 

 of this salt boiled in a large excess of bichloride of platinum 

 with the precaution already mentioned, gave off' carbonic acid 

 freely, and was changed into the platinum salt of cotarnin. 

 The mother-liquor separated from the latter gave crystals 

 of opianic or hemipinic acid, according to the duration of the 

 boiling. 



The following table exhibits these changes : — 



2 equiv. of narcogenin = C72 Hgg Ng O^ 

 ■f 9 equiv. of oxygen . = O 9 



C72 Hgg N2 O29 



It is probable that bichloride of platinum has the same oxi- 

 dizing action on many of the other organic bases. This cir- 

 cumstance may account for the difference of their atomic 

 weights when calculated from their platinum double salts. 

 Upon morphia its action is even more marked than upon nar- 

 cotine. On boiling the former in an excess of the bichlo- 

 ride, the liquid becomes immediately of a very dai'k colour, 

 apparently black, by reflected light. There is at the same 

 time formed a platinum salt of another base, and a dark brown 

 granular looking acid, which is insoluble in water, alcohol and 

 aether, forms soluble salts with potash and ammonia, and an 

 insoluble salt with silver. This subject has not yet been exa- 

 mined by me, but 1 intend to return to it, and hope before 

 long to communicate the results of its further investigation. 



