VEGETO- ALKALIES. 975 



According to the formulae which M. Liebig is inclined to 

 adopt for the two bases strychnine and brucine, which also 

 occur together, the latter contains 2 atoms of water and 1 atom 

 of oxygen more than the former : 



Strychnine C 44 H 23 N l4 O 5 , 



Brucine C^H^N^Og (Liebig.) 



To the same bases M. Regnault assigns formulae which are 

 somewhat different, but which are equally compatible with 

 the atomic weights of these alkalies as observed in their 

 bichloride of platinum compounds : 



Strychnine. , . . . C 44 H 23 N 2 O 4 , 



Brucine C 44 H 25 N 2 O 7 (Regnault.) 



These formulae indicate the same difference of composition 

 between strychnine and brucine, as do the preceding formulae 

 for the same compounds. The composition of thebaine from 

 opium, according to the analysis of Dr. Kane is expressed by 

 C 25 H 14 NO 3 . The composition of jervine, a base discovered 

 by M. Simon in the root of Veratrum album, and carefully 

 analysed by Dr. Will is C 60 H 45 N 2 O 5 . 



Several other organic bases have been analysed, but those of 

 which the composition has been already stated are perhaps the 

 only ones, for which we have data to construct formulae of any 

 considerable degree of probability. The numerical results of 

 the best analyses which have been made of the remaining bases 

 are given by M, Liebig, as follows :* 



ARICINE. ATROPINE. CONICINE. CORYDALINE. 



Pelletier. Liebig. Liebig. 



Carbon. . . 71.0 70.98 66.91 



Hydrogen. . 7.0 7.83 12.00 



Nitrogen. . . 8.0 4.83 12.81 



Oxygen. . . 14.0 16.36 8.28 



100.0 100.00 100.00 100.00 



* Handworterbucli der Reinen und Angewandten Chhnie, b. i, 709. 



