APPENDIX. 195 
alcohol with deep orange-red coloration. On addition of acids to 
these solutions a flocculent yellow precipitate is thrown down which 
soon becomes crystalline 
The second of the above-mentioned compounds is a fat acid ester 
that can be easily purified by recrystallization from aleohol, It 
takes the form of small white laminz which melt at 84° C,, and are 
very soluble in hot alcohol, but sparingly in cold alcohol, very soluble 
in ether, pertroleum spirit or chloroform, and insoluble in water. 
The substance dissolves in hot glacial acetic acid, and on cooling 
crystallizes out again unaltered. In the alcoholic solution this 
substance can be easily saponified, the products being phytosterin 
and itie acid. 
The third substance mentioned above is a base, to which I propose 
giving the name Aristolochine. That name has already been applied 
by Chevallier to a bitter substance obtained from Aristolochia 
serpentaria, but it was obviously a mixture the bitter taste of which 
was probably due to the presence of the base now deseribed. There- 
fore, the name seems to me to have been inappropriate in that instance, 
and I have transferred it to the pure substance. 
Aristolochine is precipitated from its colourless solutions in 
sulphuric or acetic acid on the addition of ammonia or caustic soda 
in the form of white amorphous flocks. It is freely soluble in 
alcohol, ether, chloroform, or benzene. On evaporating the ether 
solution it remains as a colourless resinous mass. When the ether 
solution is mixed with an equal volume of petroleum spirit and the 
mixture very slowly evaporated, warty masses are deposited that are 
distinctly crystalline. The base has a bitter taste and neutralizes 
acid perfectly. The hydiodide and sulphocyanide are amorphous 
oily precipitates which present no tendency to crystallize. The 
platinochloride is is a dark yellow and the aurochloride a pale yellow 
amorphous ipitate ; both are almost insoluble in water, 
The behaviour of the base with concentrated sulphuric acid is 
remarkable. It forms a fine green solution, which becomes bright 
bluish-green on the addition of a trace of ferric chloride. Similar 
reactions are given by aricine, cusconine, and some of the bases 
of the bark of Remiia purdieana, 
Aristolochine appears to have been already observed by Dymock 
and Warden in their examination of Aristolochia Lae and I am Le “ 
ion. that the differences of their statements in regard to oe ee 
