1820.] Physical Science dtuing the Year \%\Q. 33 



any precipitate. The taste of this body was bitter. It did not 

 appear to contain any uitiic acid, and yet it was not possessed of 

 alkaline properties, it was not altered by new doses of nitric 

 acid, and no trace of oxalic acid ever appeared. Morphia, like 

 strychnia and brucia, is rendered at first red by nitric acid ; but 

 the only colour induced on delphia by nitric acid is yellow. 



Acetate of Delphia, when neutral, does not crystallize, but 

 dries into a hard transparent mass, having a very bitter and 

 acrid taste. It is easily decomposed (as is the case with the 

 other acetates) by strong sulphuric acid. 



Oxalate of Delphia has the form of white plates, and possesses 

 the same taste as the other salts of delphia. 



When delpliia is heated with peroxide of copper, the only gas 

 which it gives out is carbonic acid. Hence it is obvious that 

 azote does not enter into its composition. (See Ann. de Chim. 

 et de Phys. xii. 358.) 



4. Picrotoxia. — M. Boullay has examined the properties of 

 some of the salts of picrotoxia. It will be proper to state here 

 the result of his latest observations. 



Sulphate of Picrotoxia must be formed by dissolving picro- 

 toxia in dilute sulphuric acid, for the strong acid chars and 

 destroys it. The solution crystallizes on cooling. The sulphate 

 of picrotoxia dissolves in 120 times its weight of boiling water. 

 The solution gradually lets fall the salt in tine silky hlaments 

 disposed in bundles, and possessed of great beauty. When dry, 

 it has a white colour, and feels elastic under the teeth, like 

 plumose alum. It is composed of 



Sulphuric acid 9*99 5 



Picrotoxia 90-01 45 



100-00 



So that the equivalent number for picrotoxia, according to this 

 analysis, is 45. It follows then next after Morphia, if these new 

 alkaline bodies be arranged according to the weight of the atoms; 

 for the respective weights, according to the present state of our 

 knowledge, are as follows : 



Morphia 40-250 



Picrotoxia 45-000 



Strychnia 47-625 



Brucia .' 51-500 



Brucia is the heaviest primary body yet subjected to chemical 

 analysis. 



Nitrate of Picrotoxia. —K'ltnc acid, of the specific gravity 

 1*38, diluted with twice its weight of water, dissolves, when 

 assisted by heat, the fourth of its weight of picrotoxia. When 

 this solution is evaporated to one half, it becomes viscid, and on 

 coohng is converted into a transparent mass, similar to a .solution 



Vol.. XVI. N° I. C 



