280 Professor Brande's Observations on 



some of the properties of alkaline bodies, and presenting a curious 

 contrast in their ultimate composition, to the vegetable acids es- 

 pecially, and to the proximate products of the vegetable kingdom 

 in general. 



In examining morphia, very soon after its discovery, I was 

 much struck Avith the peculiar products which it appeared to af- 

 ford when submitted to ultimate decomposition; I did not, how- 

 ever, at that time pursue the subject, conceiving that it would 

 form a part of the inquiries of its discoverer. But I have since 

 recognised the same peculiarities in cinchonia and quinia, and 

 the views of their nature, to which my experiments have led me, 

 are very different from those of Messrs. Pclletier and Caventou*, 

 and appear important in respect to the ultimate composition of 

 vegetable bodies in general. 



These substauces agree in being difficultly soluble in water, in 

 alcohol, and in ether, at common temperatures, but they dissolve 

 in considerable proportion in boiling alcohol, which deposits them 

 as it cools. Morphia, cinchonia, and strychnia, are thus obtained 

 in the crystalline form ; quinia is uncrystallizable, and separates 

 as the alcohol cools, in the form of a viscid mass, somewhat re- 

 sembling birdlime. They are tasteless, or only slightly bitter, in 

 their pure and dry state, but the addition of the smallest portion 

 of acid gives rise to intensely bitter compounds. When exposed 

 to a moderate heat they exhibit no signs of water of crystalliza- 

 tion, but at higher temperatures they fuse like resins, and con- 

 crete on cooling, with the exception of quinia, into a radiated 

 crystallized mass. At a temperature of 300°, cinchonia decrepi- 

 tates, and at 450° it fuses, becomes brown, and a portion sublimes 

 and condenses on cooling in brilliant acicular crystals which 

 resemble the original substance. 



At a red heat these substances are all decomposed with nearly 

 similar phenomena, and the results are remarkable as presented 

 by a vegetable body. Under these circumstances they produce 

 great abundance of ammoifia, which is easily recognised by its 



* Annates de Chhnie el Physique, XV. . 



