Sxzy.—On the Production of Alkaloids from Fixed Oils. 471 
to the first-named mercuric salt, and that such precipitates are of a pale 
yellow colour, which is in striking contrast to the full red colour which the 
precipitate would exhibit were neither of these organic substances present, 
since this precipitate would be iodide of mercury alone. 
Continuing my researches in this field, I have ascertained that there is 
another class of organic bodies, besides alkaloids and albumenoids, which 
determine a yellow colour to the precipitate, which is formed when aqueous 
solutions of mercuro-iodide of potassium and mercuric-chloride are mixed, 
and this is that of the essential oils. I therefore hasten to inform you of 
this fact, and to acquaint you with a knowledge of the means which I find 
may be used to discriminate, for toxicological purposes especially, the 
mercurial precipitates so coloured, from those which are coloured by the 
presence therein of an alkaloid or an albumenoid. 
The yellow mereurial precipitates, which are formed by this means in 
presence of these oils, volatilize entirely when gently heated, and their 
sublimates preserve their yellow colour, even when kept cool a long time. 
This reaction distinguishes such precipitates from those which are formed in 
part of a fixed alkaloid, also of an albumenoid; while from those formed in 
part of a volatile alkaloid they are distinguished by not reddening when 
treated with mercurie-chloride. 
I find that a very minnte quantity of any of these oils is effective for 
the production of the phenomena I have described; for instance, one part 
of lemon oil to 10,000 parts of water will produce it. 
The nitro-oils behave in this ease in the same way as the essential oils. 
The nature of the mercuro-precipitate, which is thus formed in presence 
of an essential oil, I am unable as yet to determine for lack of time.. 
Art. LXX X.— Preliminary Note on the Production of one or more Alkaloids 
from Fixed Oils, by the Aniline Process. By Wurm Brey, Analyst to 
the Geologieal Survey of New Zealand. 
[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 17th and 31st August, 1878.) 
Mx late suecessful production of alkaloids from our petroleums* induced me 
to apply the same process I used in that instance to the fixed oils, that is 
the process I name in the title of this paper, for brevity, the ‘Aniline 
Process;" one which, I may remind you, eonsists in first warming the 
petroleum, etc., to be treated, with nitric acid, by which numerous nitro 
compounds are produced; and, in the second place, deoxidizing these by 
nascent hydrogen, by which any hydro-carbons of the benzol series present 
* Vide supra, Art. LXXVIIL, 
