502 Intelligence and Miscellmieous Articles, 



bination, were determined by the action of nitrate of silver upon it. 

 Iodide of silver is precipitated, and the strychnia, which has suffered 

 some change, combines with the nitric acid. 



The analysis was performed by determining the quantity of iodide 

 of silver obtained, for the iodine ; and another portion of the com- 

 pound, deprived of its iodine by the action of acids and alkalis, was 

 decomposed by oxide of copper. The salt consists of 



One equivalent of iodine 126 



One equivalent of strychnia 2S4 — 360 



lodate of Strychnia. — Supposing the iodide of strychnia to be con- 

 verted into iodate of strychnia, it would consist of 



One equivalent of iodic acid ... . 166.... 41 '5 

 One equivalent of strychnia .... 234 .... 58*5 



400 100- 



In order to compare the formula indicated by theory with the 

 composition of the salt yielded by direct analysis, strychnia reduced 

 to fine powder was diffused through warm water, and iodic acid was 

 added to it, dissolved in rather a large quantity of water ; by filtra- 

 tion and evaporation flat acicular crystals were obtained. Care 

 must be taken to avoid excess of acid, as by its action upon the 

 strychnia an acidulous iodate is obtained of a red colour. Io- 

 date of strychnia may also be procured by decomposing neutral 

 sulphate of strychnia by means of iodate of barytes. The crystals 

 thus obtained resemble cyanide of mercury in appearance. 



The following method was employed for analysing this iodate 

 and the organic iodates in general ; the iodate of strychnia was 

 dissolved in water and decomposed by excess of potash. The liquor 

 without filtration was evaporated in the capsule which contained it ; 

 iodate of potash remained, with free strychnia and excess of potash ; 

 the strychnia was decomposed by calcination, adding a little nitrate 

 of potash in order to burn the carbon ; the iodide of potassium was 

 redissolved in the water and precipitated by nitrate of silver ; the 

 iodide of silver is to be treated with dilute nitric acid to separate 

 the oxide of silver ; care must be taken not to saturate the solution 

 with nitric acid before precipitation. 



To determine the quantity of strychnia the salt was heated with 

 oxide of copper, and calculating from the usual data, the composi- 

 tion of the iodate of strychnia appeared to be 



Iodic acid 41*64 



Strychnia 58-36—100 



These proportions agree almost precisely with those already de- 

 duced from theory ; and show that it is a neutral salt consisting of 

 an equivalent each of acid and base. 



Hydriodate of Strychnia. — The neutral salt could not be obtained : 

 the subsalt procured is but slightly soluble ; it may be formed either 



