70 Scientific Intelligence, Sfc. 



5. Colchicin. The same chemist has also extracted an alkaloid 

 from Colchlcum autumnale, which was taken by Pelletier and 

 Caventou for veratrin, but which Geiger found to be distinct. Col- 

 chicin crystallizes in fine needles, when procured by the method of 

 Mein, has a bitter acid taste, and does not produce sneezing like 

 veratrin. It forms with acids partly crystallizable salts. By nitric 

 acid it is first made dark violet, then indigo blue, passing through 

 green into yellow. Veratrin, by the same means, becomes first red 

 and then yellow ; but by sulphuric acid first yellow, then red, and 

 lastly dark violet, while the colchicin is only coloured brownish 

 yellow. — (lb.) 



6. Aconitin. Geiger has also obtained a bitter alkaloid from the 

 aconitum which is not volatile and not crystallizable, but a white 

 granular or colourless and transparent mass. It has an alkaline re- 

 action, and forms neutral salts, which do not crystallize. It posseses 

 some action upon the pupil. — {lb-) 



7. Daturin. A similar alkaloid has been obtained from the seeds 

 of the Datura stramonium: It crystallizes in fine splendent prisms, 

 possesses a bitter tobacco like taste, an alkaline re-action, difficultly 

 soluble in cold water, more soluble in hot water, from which it pre- 

 cipitates in crystals during cooling. Alcohol and ether dissolve it. 

 It dilates the pupil more powerfully than atrovin. Hence it 

 appears, that atropin, hyoscyamin, daturin, aconitin, and, according 

 to Geiger, also solanin, possess this remarkable property. Bley 

 found that it affords salts which are soluble in water, alcohol, and 

 ether.— (/Z^. 269.) 



8. Dlgitalin. Lancelot gives the following process for obtaining 

 this base from digitalis. From the aqueous extract of digitalis, an 

 alcoholic extract is prepared by means of absolute alcohol. This is 

 dissolved in water, filtered and mixed with dilute muriatic acid, 

 which precipitates a yellow flocky substance, which is impure 

 digitalin. It should be washed with water until the acid re-action 

 disappears, dried, dissolved in alcohol, the solution treated with 

 blood charcoal (blut laugen Jiohle) till it is quite colourless, and 

 then allowed to evaporate spontaneously, by which means a fatty 

 substance separates at the surface, and the bottom of the vessel is 

 covered with a crystalline substance, which is digitalin. It is 

 colourless, has an acrid taste, is unchangeable in the air, has an 

 alkaline re-action, insoluble in water, soluble in alcohol. — (^Ib. 270.) 



9. Apirin. Bizio has obtained this alkaloid from the nut of the 

 Cocos lapidea. He gives it this name because the solution of its 

 salts while hot become turbid. It is obtained by digesting the 

 bruised nut with water and muriatic acid, precipitating the filtered 

 solution by ammonia, washing and drying the precipitate. It is 

 white like starch, has no taste, but after remaining in contact with 

 the tongue for some time it produces an impression. It has not an 

 alkaline re-action ; it is dissolved by 500 parts of cold water. On 

 heating this solution it becomes turbid, which is removed on cooling. 

 By dry distillation it carbonizes without melting, and the vapour 

 smells like burned hemp. It is readily dissolved by acids. If the 

 solution is siiUirated, it becomes turbid by a slight increase of tem- 



