HISTORICAL SK K l( II . 29 



and confine ly il< greater volatility ami its peculiar odor, 

 llr -upposed tliat tliis sabstHloe WM produced by decom- 

 po-ition, ami, in order to ascertain the truth of hi- -nppo- 

 sition, lie took the organs of a cadaver that had lain for 

 >ixtecn d:i\> at a temperature of .".(I and \vas well decom- 

 |>osed. These were treated with tartarie acid and aleohol. 

 The acid solution was first ext raetnl with ether, and yielded 

 no result; it was then rendered alkaline and extracted 

 with ether. The latter extract gave, on evaporation, the 

 same suhstamv which he had found in the organs of the 

 child. The residue was a yellowish oil, having an odor 

 somewhat similar to propylamiiie. It was repulsive, hut 

 not hitter to the taste, and alkaline in reaction. On the 

 addition of hydrochloric acid, it crystallized in white needles, 

 which were freely soluhle in water, hut soluhle with diffi- 

 culty in alcohol. On the addition of ammonium hydrate 

 to this crystalline substance, a white vapor of unpleasant 

 odor was given off'. The crystals dissolved in sulphuric acid, 

 forming a solution which was at first colorless, hut which 

 gradually became dirty hrownish -yellow, and .gravish- 

 hrowu on the application of heat. On Ix'ing warmed with 

 sodium molybdate, a splendid blue color, becoming gradu- 

 ally gray, was produced. Potassium bichromate and sul- 

 phuric acid gave a reddish-brown, then a grass-green color. 

 Nitric acid gave a yellow color. A tartaric acid solution 

 of the crystals pnxlnced, on the addition of platinum chlo- 

 ride, a dirty yellow precipitate of small six-sided stars, 

 which contained 31.55 per cent, of platinum. Gold chlo- 

 ride gave a pale yellow, amorphous jirecipitatc; mercuric 

 chloride yielded white crystals; pota.ssio-mereuric iodide a 

 dirty-white precipitate; and potaflSiO-Oadmio iodide yielded 

 no result. Tannic acid produced only a turbidity. Sodium 

 phospho-molybdate gave a yellow, flooonleot precipitate, 

 which Ix-eame blue on the addition of ammonium hydrate. 

 This base has a slight reducing power, and in this it 

 iv-cinhles a substance obtained by SKLMI, but it differs 

 from SKI. MI'-* extract inasmuch as it does not give a violet 

 coloration on being warmed with sulphuric acid. In its 

 amorphous character, its Miavior to the general alkaloidal 



