43 



of mercury; most of its salts dissolve iii water and are easily 

 crystallisable. 



Clielid01iiu=C3s Hi7 N3 Oe + 2 HO. InClielidoniummajus, 

 principally in the root. After the extract of the root, prepared 

 with water and sulphuric acid and obtained for the production of 

 chelerythrin, has been precipitated by ammonia and the 

 chelerythrin withdrawn from the precipitate by ether — the 

 residtie has to be dissolved in the least possible quantity of water, 

 containing some sulphuric acid and the solution mixed Avitli double 

 its volume of concentrated hydrochloric acid, which throws 

 down chlox-ide of Ch. This is decomposed by water containing 

 ammonia; is purified by repeatedly dissolving in a little acidulated 

 water, precipitating with hydrochloric acid and decomposing with 

 ammonia, and is recrystallised in boiling alcohol. — Colovirless, 

 glassy, tabular crystals, of bitter taste similar to sulphate of 

 quinin (according to others : acrid not bitter); loses the water at 

 100°, fuses at 130° and is decomposed in higher temperatures; 

 volatilises with the vapours of water, is insoluble in water, 

 slowly soluble in alcohol and ether. Its salts are coloiu'less,^ 

 crystallisable and of acid reaction, dissolve in water, have a 

 strong and pure, bitter taste, and are precii^itable by alkalies and 

 by tannic acid. 



Clielidoxailtllili. In the root, herb and flowers of Cheli- 

 donium majus. Withdraw the chelidonin and chelerythi-in from 

 the root by water acidulated with sulphuric acid, exhaust the 

 residuum with hot water, mix the liquid with acetate of lead and 

 give access to sulphuret of hydrogen. The sulphide of lead, 

 washed with cold water, yields to boiling water Ch., which is 

 obtained on evaporating as a yellow, gi-anular mass. This has to 

 be digested successively with water, containing ammonia, and 

 with ether to remove foreign matters ; exhaust the remnant 

 with absolute alcohol, filter, evaporate and rinse the remaining 

 Ch. with cold diluted sulphuric acid, ammoniacal water and ether. 

 Dissolve it in hot water and allow slowly to crystallise. — Yellow, 

 friable mass or yellow, short needles ; tastes very bitter ; dissolves 

 very slowly in cold, better in hot water, imparting to it a strong 

 yellow colour, slowly in alcohol, not in ether, in concentrated 

 sulphuric acid with yellow-brown colour ; in the alcoholic solution 

 it is precipitable by tannic acid. 



Cheil0p0(lin=Ci2 H13 NO 3. Peculiai-, nitrogenised body^ 

 closely related to the alkaloids, from Chenopodium album and 

 other species of that genus. To obtain it, bruise the fresh 

 plant gathered before flowering, press, heat the juice to 80°, 

 strain oflf from the coagiilated albumin, evaporate to honey 

 consistence, mix with alcohol of 90%, boil for a few moments. 



