DICTIONARY OF THE ACTIVE PRINCll'LES OF PLANTS. 



17 



to Atropine.* Amorphous (varnish) ; M.P. under 60° ; slightly alkaline ; 

 bitter (in alcoholic solution). 



Soluble in alcohol, ether, chloroform, benzene, and sparingly in water 

 or petroleum ether. 



Precipitated from acetic solution by sodium chloride. 



Platinum chloride .'salt melts at 203° to 204° (Hesse). 



Gold chloride comp und melts at 112°. 



Fuming hydrochloric acid converts to atropic acid and (j), cold con- 

 centrated sulphuric acid, or boiling baryta solution change to (/.■). 



U) PSEUDOTROPINE A. (Hesse's Oscine), OgHisNO, or CsHiaNO,, Hesse ; 

 [from Atropamine ; see also Coca (8a)]. 



(fc) BELLADONNINE A., CVHoiNOo (O. Hesse). From Atropamine (see 

 above), or from Commercial Hyoscyamine by fractional precipitation 

 with potassium carbonate. White or yellowish, amorphous, gummy, 

 volatile, alkaline : taste burning and slightly bitter. 



Soluble with difficulty in water, but dissolved by alcohol, ether, chloro- 

 form, aiid benzene. 



Precipitated by : 



Potassium carbonate. Platinum chloride \ yellow 



Ammonia. Gold chloride \ powder. 



Tannic acid. 



Fuming hydrochloric acid gives Pseudotropine and atropic acid (com- 

 pare Atropamine). 



(0 STRAMONINE A. ; M.P. 150°, with sublimate ; neutral reaction, not 

 bitter. 



Soluble in oils. 



Not preciptated by metallic salts. 



(?«) PITURINE A. ( = Nicotine (Petit), this denied by Liversidge), 

 C]oH,bX^ ; liquid heavier than water ; sharp taste, nicotine-like odour and 

 alkaline reaction. Volatile at ordinary temperatures ; B.P. 243°. 



Soluble in all proportions, in water, alcohol, or ether. 



Precipitants 



Tannic acid ; white, sol. HCl., 



1 in 100. 

 Picric acid ; yellow, 1 in 100. 

 [Platinum chloride (neutral 



sol.), but not 1 in 100.] 

 Gold chloride ; palered, 1 in 100. 



* E. Merck regards Atropamine as Apoatropine, 



Copper sulphate ; green, insol. in 



excess, 1 in 100. 

 Mercuric potassic iodide ; white, 



1 in 100. 

 [Not chlorine water.] 



Colour tests : 



No colour chlorine water. 



,, hydrochloric acid cold ; faint red on warming. 



,, nitric acid cold ; yellow on waruiing. 



(») SCOPOLIN (G. ?). Amorphous : difliccdtly soluble in water. 

 Precipitants : 



Alkaline hydrates, caseous pp., sol. in excess. 



„ carbonates „ „ „ 



Ammonia „ „ ,, 



Tannic acid (in acid or alkaline solution). 

 (Platinum chloride, yellowish white, if concenli-ateJ.) 

 Gold chloride, yellow. 

 Phospho-molybdic acid, white, 

 lodopotassic iodide, brown. 



Colour tests : 



Concentrated sulphuric acid, colourless ; agreeable odour on warm- 

 ing. 

 Concentrated nitric acid, colourless ; yellow on warming. 



(o) ROTOINE (Henschke denies that this is a base). 



(p) SCOPOLETIN G. -derivative (Methyl-aesculetin, Takahtish/ ; compare 

 yEsouIus), CioHgOj ; colourless needles; M.P. 198°-! 99°; giving fluores- 

 cent ."(ilutions. 



Soluble in alcohol, ether, chloroform, and with difficulty in water. 



(q) MANDRAGORINE A., Ci-H.,,,N03 (F. B. Ahrens) ; amorfihous, brittle 

 resinous hygroscopic ; M.P. 77°-7y°. Dilates pupil. Sulphate crystal- 

 line. 



Soluble in water, alcohol, and ether. 



Precipitants : 



Picric acid. 

 Pho.spho-tungstio acid. 

 (Gold chloride compound, sol. 

 hot and in HCl; M.P. 



153°-15.5°.) 



(Platinum chloride compound ; 

 M.P. 194°-196°.) 



lodopotassic iodide. 



(Mercuric chloride, crys. com- 

 pound ; M.P. about 100°.) 



(r) NICOTINE A. (see Piturine above), Ci„HijNo ; liquid colourless when 

 pure, but rapidly becoming brown on exposure, laevo-rotatory ; boils at 

 240°-2.')0°, with partial decomposition in air. Specific gravity r027 (at 

 15° 0.) ; alkaline reaction, sharp burning taste. Very poisonous, 16 



