DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF ANIMAL SUBSTANCES. 469 
three hundred pounds no more than was sufficient for the determination of its 
constitution, and the leading characters of a few of its compounds. It is probable, 
however, that some loss was incurred in the preliminary processes, as, from not 
anticipating the presence of so volatile a base, I did not take any precautions for 
producing complete condensation of the products, by means of freezing mixtures 
or otherwise; and a considerable quantity was also lost owing to my anxiety to 
expel completely the ammonia which it might retain. 
Constitution of Petinine. 
The petinine employed for analysis was very carefully dried over caustic 
potass, the fluid poured off after some days’ contact, and distilled in the water- 
bath at a very gentle heat; a precaution which is rendered necessary by its dis- 
solving a certain quantity of potass. I did not possess a sufficient quantity to 
make a determination of the nitrogen, but took it for granted that oxygen was 
absent; an assumption which is justified by the analogy of all the other volatile 
bases, as well as by the perfect coincidence of the experimental results with the 
calculated formule. It was analysed with oxide of copper in a very long tube, 
and gave the following results : 
16:°286 ... carbonic acid, and 
6°663 grains of petinine gave 
8°382 ... water; 
corresponding exactly with the formula C,H,,N, as is shewn by the following 
comparison : 



Experiment. Calculation. 
EO 
Carbon, ee 66:66 66°66 Cz 600-0 
Hydrogen, . . . 13:97 13°88 io 125-0 
Nitrogen, eee tel 823K 19°44 N 175-0 
100-00 100-00 900-0 
In order to ascertain the atomic weight of petinine, I prepared its compound 
with chloride of platinum, and made the following determinations of the platinum 
contained in it : 
I { 6°351 grains of chloride of platinum and petinine gave 
"(2-245  ... platinum = 35°34 per cent. 
i { 3'860 grains of chloride of platinum and petinine gave 
‘(1372 ....__ platinum = 35-54 per cent. 
Ill { 2°844 grains of chloride of platinum and petinine gave 
‘(1010  ... platinum = 35:51 per cent. 
