216 DR T. ANDERSON ON SOME OF THE 
twice that quantity. If this be the case, opianine must be a base entirely unique 
in its properties; for in all the fixed alkaloids hitherto examined, the whole of the 
nitrogen is converted into ammonia with the utmost facility by ignition with 
soda lime. On this ground alone I should be inclined to question the accuracy 
of HINTERBERGER’Ss results; and these doubts are increased by a more minute 
examination of his analyses. In two determinations by Dumas’s method, he ob- 
tains 4-12 and 4-41 per cent. of nitrogen, while the calculation for his formula 
requires 4:45. Now it is a familiar fact, that, owing to the impossibility of re- 
moving the last traces of atmospheric air from the tube, the determination of 
nitrogen as gas invariably gives a larger quantity than theory requires, so much 
so that an excess of a half per cent. is not uncommonly met with, even in the hands 
of the most careful experimenters. But in both of HivrERBERGER’s experiments, the 
quantity falls short of theory, and in one of them to the extent of about 0-4 per 
cent. Partly on this account, and partly because his formula is at variance with the 
law of the divisibility of formulee, I incline to the opinion that it cannot be cor- 
rect, and that in all probability his first nitrogen determinations are more accu- 
rate, and to them I shall adhere. The details which HINTERBERGER has supplied 
us with regard to opianine and its salts are extremely meagre, and do not afford 
very decided grounds on which to found a formula; but weighing them all, 
the constitution of opianine appears to be best represented by C,, H,, NO,,. That 
this formula would agree almost as well with HINTERBERGER’s experiments as 
that he has himself given, is at once obvious from the following comparison, in 
which all his results excepting the nitrogen determinations are contained. 
Opianine. 
Experiment. Calculation. 
Cog Hy, N, On Coe Hy, NO,, 
Carbon, “ é : 62:99 63-06 63°56 
Hydrogen, 5 : 5:69 5°73 593 
Nitrogen, t see 4-45 2:24 
Oxygen, 27-76 28:27 
100-00 100:00 
Mercury Compound of Opianine. 
Experiment. Calculation. 
Oe Hyg Ny On Cg Hy, NOs, 
Carbon, “, 0 ; 49:14 49°50 49:81 
Hydrogen, . : . 4:60 4:63 4:77 
Nitrogen, . ay 3°50 1-76 
Oxygen, . F : oar 21-00 22-16 
Chlorine, . : ‘ 9°31 8°87 — 8:93 
Mercury, . : 5 12:28 12-50 12-57 
100-00 100-00 
