IN THE WOOD OF THE BEBEERU OR GREENHEART TREE. 



569 



solution, when filtered, deposited a small quantity of yellow powder, which was 

 found to be amorphous when examined under the microscope. 49 grammes of 

 the solution in boiling water yielded 0-07 grammes of dry residue ; or 100 parts 

 yielded 0*142 parts of solid residue. The powder was found to be entirely soluble 

 in dilute acid ; the solution possessed a yellow colour, and an intensely bitter 

 taste. The residue, dissolved in water, and treated with solution of ammonia, or 

 of any of the fixed alkalies, yielded a bulky yellowish precipitate. When evapo- 

 rated to dryness, and redissolved in water, a perfectly neutral solution was 

 obtained. This was abundantly precipitated by tetrachloride of platinum, the 

 precipitate being quite amorphous, and not fusible when heated to 100° C. 0709 

 grammes of this hydrochlorate yielded 0-268 grammes of chloride of silver; 100 

 parts, therefore, contained 9361 per cent, of chlorine. Oil of vitriol added to the 

 base did not blacken it, but merely caused it to assume a faint rose tint. When 

 binoxide of manganese was added to the acid solution thus obtained, a most 

 splendid rich green colour was developed, which, on exposure to the air, passed 

 into a violet of great beauty, scarcely distinguishable from that procured when 

 strychnia is similarly treated.. This reaction is one of very great delicacy. On 

 adding sulphuric acid and binoxide of manganese to a fragment of the alkaloid 

 placed in a tube, and afterwards diluting the fluid sufficiently by means of oil of 

 vitriol, w T e observed its effects on the spectrum. In the case of the green fluid 

 first spoken of, the violet end of the spectrum was cut off, and when a sufficiently 

 thick stratum was examined none but the red rays passed. No definite absorption 

 band was, however, present. 



After assuming the violet tint, besides a cutting off of the violet end of the 

 spectrum, a very well-marked absorption band, situated between C and D, is 

 noticed, as is shown in the annexed diagram. 



1 ,2 .3 



liniliiiilmilmiliimiiii 



B C 



iiiliii Inn mi 



6 



to 



D E 



7| 

 llilllllill 



ilimhi 



G 



i\o ! ill y|2 i\5 a 715 



iimhmiimiiiiilimlmilimiimlrii Minimum 



The reaction above described was possessed equally by all compounds of the 

 alkaloid under examination. 



On heating the alkaloid on a platinum spoon, it first melts, and then burns 

 with the evolution of fumes which are both pungent and fragrant. These are 

 identical with the fumes evolved under the same circumstances by bebeerine. 



A comparison of the properties which we have described with those of pure 

 bebeerine, established in the clearest manner the difference between the two. 

 The chief of these differences are— 



