Reniarkahle Chemical Qualities of Cocani. 407 



in the leaves a peculiar crystallized organic base, to which, 

 following the usual custom in such cases, the name Cocani 

 has been given.* 



The lamented death of Dr. Albert Niemann in the flower 

 of his youth, and in the midst of his promising labours, ne- 

 cessarily interrupted for a time the investigations into the 

 nature and properties of cocani. M. Wohler, however, in his 

 capacity of Director of the Chemical Laboratory of the Uni- 

 versity,was so good as to assign to another able assistant, Mr. W. 

 Lessen, the task of taking up the analysis at the point where 

 its gifted discoverer had left it, when it was found that, when 

 heated in chlorine, the cocani underwent a singular and 



* Cocani is precipitated in colourless inodorous prismatic crystals. It is with dif- 

 ficulty soluble in water, but melts readily in alcohol, and with still more facility 

 in ether. When dissolved in alcohol, the solution becomes a strong alkaline re-agent, 

 and ha.s a peculiar slightly bitter taste. When brought in contact with the nerves 

 of the tongue, it possesses the singular property of deadening sensation after a few 

 seconds have elapsed, in the part to which it has been applied, which for a time be- 

 comes almost void of feeling. It fuses at a temperature of 208''.4 Fahr., and in cooling 

 resumes its former prismatic crystalline form. When heated beyond this temperatm-e, 

 it changes to a reddish hue, and volatilizes with a sti'ong ammoniacal odour. Only 

 a small portion seems to get liberated by the destructive process. When heated on 

 a platinum disc, it burns away with a bright flame, leaving no residuum. Cocani 

 completely neutralizes acids, although most of the resulting salts seem to crystallize 

 with difficulty, and to remain for a considerable time in an amorphous state. The 

 resultant chloride seemed the most readily formed as well as delicately shaped of the 

 crystals. Cocani exposed in chlorine is followed by such a development of heat that 

 the former is fused. (Compare " Cocani, an Organic Base in the Coca," letter of Pro- 

 fessor F. Wohler to W. Haidingei-, acting Fellow of the Imperial Academy of 

 Sciences, presented at the meeting of the Class of Mathematics and Physical Science, 

 8th March, 1860. See also "On a New Organic Base in the Coca-leaves," Inaugural 

 dissertation on attaining the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Gottingen, by Albert 

 Niemann of Goslar. Printed at the Gottingen Press, 1860.) 



