24 



Bdellium. Exudation of the stem of BHlsaniodendron Afiica- 

 num and B. Roxburgliii. Red-brown, more or less transparent, 

 viscous or hai'd, of a myrrhlike odour, and of bitter taste. Con- 

 tains about 60% resin, fusing at 55° to 60°, 10% gum, 30% 

 bassorine, and a volatile oil. 



Bebil'ic Acid, In the fruit of the Bebii--tree (Nectandra 

 Eodiei). Concentrate the cold aqueous exti'act of the fruit, filter 

 when cold, precipitate by ammonia bebirin and siperin and 

 mix the filtrate with nitrate of baryta. The impure precipitate 

 has to be washed with cold water, is dissolved in boiling water, 

 and left to crystallise. The crystals, purified by recrystallisation, 

 are dissolved in boiling water, and precipitated by acetate of lead; 

 the precipitate is washed and decomposed by sulphuret of hydro- 

 gen, and the filti-ate is evaporated over sulphuric acid. At last it 

 has to be purified by dissolving in ether and evaporating in vacuo. 

 Deliquescent, white, crystalline mass of wax-lustre, fuses at 

 150° and sublimates somewhat above 200° undecomposed in tufts 

 of needles. Its combinations with potash and soda are deliques- 

 cent, and soluble in alcohol ; those with baryta, lime and magnesia 

 dissolve veiy little in water; the lead compound is little soluble 

 even in boiling water. 



Bel)irill=C3s H21 NOe. In the bark and fruit of the Bebir- 

 tree (Nectandi-a Rodiei), besides perhaps a second alkaloid (Sipi- 

 rin) and a peciiliar acid; also in the bark and leaves of Buxus 

 sempervirens. Exhaust with boiling water containing sulphuric 

 acid, concentrate, leave to cool, separate from the deposit contain- 

 ing tannic acid and sulphate of lime and precipitate the filtrate 

 with ammonia. The dark-green precipitate is washed, dried 

 at the atmosphere (whereby it becomes black through tannic 

 acid) and dissolved in diluted sulphuiic acid. The solution is 

 treated with animal charcoal and again precijjitated by ammonia, 

 which occasions a white precipitate. Dry, dissolve in alcohol, 

 evaporate and treat the remnant with absolute ether, which dis- 

 solves the Bebirin and leaves behind the sipirin. Both sub- 

 .stances have to be purified by treating their alcoholic solutions 

 with animal charcoal. White, highly electric powder of strong 

 and lasting bitter and faintly resinous taste, loses nothing of its 

 weight up to 120°, fuses at 180°, decomposes in a higher tempera- 

 ture, dissolves in 6650 parts cold and in 1466 parts boiling water, 

 in 5 parts absolute alcohol, also readily in weak alcohol, in 13 

 parts ether; of decidedly alkaline reaction, saturates acids com- 

 pletely aird forms amorphous salts, separates iodine from iodic 

 iodic acid. Its salts have a very bitter and somewhat astringent 

 taste, are precipitated by caustic alkalies and the carbonates 

 thereof; the precipitates redissolve in liquids of potash or of 



