296 Dr Anderson on the Properties of Ficoline. 



niloid, in which case it would have the formula Ci2(H4Br3)N, 

 and would receive the name of bromopicoloid. I had not 

 enough of it for analysis. 



The action of chlorine on picoline is remarkably analogous 

 to that which it produces on aniline. When passed into 

 anhydrous picoline it is rapidly absorbed, and colourless 

 crystals, apparently of hydrochlorate of picoline, are deposit- 

 ed. In a short time, however, the fluid becomes dark brown, 

 and is finally converted into a resin. This resin was mixed 

 with water, and a current of chlorine passed through it for 

 some hours. The fluid was then introduced into a retort, 

 and distilled, a crystalline substance passed over along with 

 the water, and after all the water had passed, another sub- 

 stance made its appearance, while a large quantity of carbon 

 was left in the retort. The quantity in which I obtained 

 these substances was far too small to admit of their particu- 

 lar examination, but it appeared to me that the odour of the 

 latter substance was different from that of chlorophenesic 

 acid, which is produced by the action of chlorine on aniline. 



The preceding investigation is sufficient to establish the 

 identity, in constitution and difference, in properties of pico- 

 line and aniline. These substances are then isomeric, in the 

 strict sense of the term, possessing the same composition per 

 cent., and the same atomic weight. 



Although isomerism has been recognised in a great va- 

 riety of different classes of compounds, I believe the present 

 to be the first instance in which it has been satisfactorily 

 proved among organic bases. Two instances, indeed, have 

 been previously described, but in neither can the evidence be 

 considered absolutely conclusive. One of these cases is that 

 of two bases discovered by Pelletier and Couerbe* in the 

 husks of the Cocculus Indicus, to which they have given the 

 names of Menispermin and Paramenispermin. The charac- 

 ters which they have assigned to these substances are suffi- 

 ciently distinct, but their analyses of both lead to the formula 

 Ci8Hi2N02. This result, however, is unsupported by any 



* Annales de Ohimie et de Physique, vol. liv. 



