1028 MINNESOTA BOTANICAL, STUDIES. 



crystals obtained by Merck. Seven analyses of the pure crys- 

 tals gave numbers for the formula 



C 3S H 50 N0 9 

 Although this formula seems to differ widely from that given 

 by Merck and also by Weigelin, nevertheless when analyses are 

 compared the difference in carbon and hydrogen is only small. 



Merck 13 . Weigelin 14 . Schmidt and Koppen. 



Analysesl. II. 'III. IV. I. II. I. II III. IV. 

 C. 64.73 64.5164.99 65.00 64.42 64.85 64.39 64.27 64.59 



H. 8.84 8.55 8.76 8.7 8.70 8.56 8.81 8.58 8.68 



N. 5.5 2.92 2.95 2.82 2 61 1.56 



It seems evident from the nitrogen determinations that the 

 substance which Merck had in hand was not identical with 

 that of both Schmidt and Koppen and Weigelin. This is also 

 verified by the salts formed, the salts obtained by Merck being 

 the only ones which were obtained in crystalline form. Schmidt 

 and Koppen stated that when their veratrine was dissolved in 

 acetic acid and treated with ammonia a part was precipitated 

 while a part remained in solution. From this, they concluded 

 with Weigelin that the alkaloid was capable of existing in two 

 isomeric forms. They showed that the soluble form . w as 

 capable of being changed back to the insoluble form by treating 

 again with acetic acid and carefully neutralizing with dilute 

 ammonia. Finally the identity of the two forms was estab- 

 ished by comparison and analysis of the chlorides and the 

 platinum double salts. The amorphous form melts at 150° to 

 155° C, while the crystallized form melts at 205 D C. Couerbe 

 gave the melting point at 115° C , while Pelletier and Caventou 

 found a melting point of 50° C. 



Wright and Luff 15 in a series of brilliant experiments on the 

 alkaloids of the Veratra have thrown much light on what 

 was hitherto regarded as a mass of contradictions. A sharp 

 distinction was made between the several different bases which 

 were up to this time known as veratrine. They showed that 

 the substance described by Merck as veratrine is not identical 

 with the veratrine of Couerbe, and that with a single nitrogen 

 determination the analyses correspond, as has already been 

 shown, with the base which Schmidt and Koppen had in hand 

 and to which they ascribed the formula 

 C 32 H 49 NO,, 



(13) Add. 95:200. 



(U) Cbem. Ceutralbl. 1873: 229. 



(15) Jour. Chem. Soc. London. 33: 338. 



