52 Professor How on the Hyposulphites 



equal to 2-40 per cent., and 2*22 corresponds with the salt ; 

 C j8 H 22 N 2 ,HOS 2 0, + aq. 

 This formula for cinchonine was arrived at bj Stahlschmidt, 

 as before mentioned, by acting upon the base with iodide of 

 methyl. About the same time I had come to the same con- 

 clusion, from working with iodide of ethyl,* but ceased pursuing 

 the subject on finding that I was forestalled. Having some of 

 the iodide of the ethyl base, however, I tried to form the hy- 

 posulphite by double decomposition, but the former salt is so 

 difficultly soluble in cold water as to crystallize out quite un- 

 changed from the solutions of itself and hyposulphite of soda, 

 mixed at the boiling-point. I had not a sufficient quantity of 

 material to try any other process. 



Hyposulphite of Morphia. — I was unable in two trials to 

 obtain this salt by digestion of the base with sulphide of am- 

 monium, hyposulphurous acid was formed, but remained in com- 

 bination with ammonia alone. I was more successful by operat- 

 ing with concentrated hot solutions of hyposulphite of soda, and 

 pure hydrochlorate of morphia. The fluid concreted to a solid 

 mass, which, on being pressed when cold, and washed with a 

 little cold water, was redissolved in the same liquid hot. It 

 separated on cooling in white, silky, lustrous needles, very 

 like the hydrochlorate. It was the pure hyposulphite. It is 

 a comparatively soluble salt, requiring only 32 parts cold 

 water for its solution ; it is extremely soluble in this men- 

 struum when boiling, less so in hot spirit, and so insoluble in 

 the same at the ordinary temperature, that 1050 parts re- 

 tain but one of the salt. It was quite neutral, and gave on 

 analysis, 



4*725 grains, dried at 212°, gave 

 9*755 ... carbonic acid, and 

 2-620 ••• water 

 5*475 ... dried at 212°, gave 

 3490 ... sulphate of baryta. 



* I obtained an iodine salt, quite analogous to the product described by 

 Stahlschmidt, crystallizing in fine 4-sided prisms ; it gave 28*14 per cent, iodine, 

 and 28 - 23 corresponds with the formula : — 



^38 H 22 N 2 °2 » C 4 H 5 ' * 



which represents iodide of ethylocinchonine. 



