1820.] Scientific Intelligence. 311 



Longilnde. Latilude, 



Pescara 42° 26' 11° 56' 



Trani 41 17 14 15 



Vasti 42 7 12 25 



Viesti 41 56 12 55 



(Ibid. p. 463.) 

 Vll. Brucine. 



The discovery of the alkahne properties o{ morphia, for which, 

 we are indebted to Serturner, has drawn the attention of che- 

 mists to the discovery of vegetable substances capable of neutra- 

 lizing acids, and of course possessed of alkaline properties. 

 MM. Pelletier and Caventou have particularly distinguished 

 themselves in these researches. Our readers are already aware 

 of the discovery of two new vegetable alkalies, to which the 

 naniea o{ vatiqiieline and stn/c/iiiine have been given. Pelletier 

 and Caventou have lately discovered another, to which they have 

 given the name of Brticine, from Mr. Bruce, the Abyssiniaa 

 traveller, who first made known the tree from the bark of which. 

 the new alkaline substance is obtained. This bark is known by 

 the name of false august iwa. 



To obtain brucine, the bark of the false angustura (brucea anti- 

 ■di/sentericus) was treated in the first place with sulphuric ether 

 to get rid of a fatty matter which it contains. It was then 

 subjected to the action of alcohol. The alcohohc solutions were 

 evaporated to dryness, the dry residue was dissolved in water^ 

 and the solution mixed with subtritacetate of lead (Goulard's, 

 extract) which threw down the greatest part of the colouring 

 matter. The excess of lead was got rid of by a current of sul- 

 phuretted hydrogen gas. By this means the liquid was rendered 

 nearly, but not completely, colourless The brucine was not 

 precipitated by ammonia, and all attempts to procure it in a state 

 of purity were long unsuccessful ; at last our experimenters 

 succeeded by the following manner : The brucine was saturated 

 with oxalic acid, and the solution evaporated to dryness. The 

 dry mass was digested in absolute alcohol of the temperature of 

 32^, which dissolved the colouring matter, and left the oxalate 

 of brucine in the state of a fine white powder. The oxalate^ 

 when treated with lime or magnesia, is decovnposed, and the 

 brucine disengaged. It was dissolved in boilino" alcohol, and 

 obtained in crystals by the slow evaporation of the hquid. Thus 

 obtained in a state of purity, it possessed the following properties r 

 Its crystals, when obtained by slow evaporation, are oblique 

 prisms, the bases of which are parallelograms. When deposited 

 ifrom a saturated solution in boihng water by cooling, it is in bulky 

 plates somewhat similar to boracic acid in appearance. The 

 alcoholic solutions are apt to deposit it in the form of mushrooms. 

 In the last two states, it is very bulky, retaining a great deal of 

 water, which may be forced out by compression. It then dimi- 

 nishes very nmch in volume. 



