1 S70.] On the Action of Claret on the Human Body. 73 



were found to be almost identical, the most marked of the few differences 

 being that the blood-red colour given with nitric acid is much more per- 

 manent than in the similar apomorphia reaction. Between the two bases 

 also a very marked difference exists in respect of stability, apocodeia being 

 far superior in this respect to apomorphia ; in fact it may be precipitated 

 by ammonia or carbonate of sodium, washed and dried, without undergoing 

 a marked change of colour. 



The hydrochlorates also differ ; for that of apomorphia can be easily 

 crystallized, whereas hydrochlorate of apocodeia has only been obtained in 

 an amorphous state. The preparation of apocodeia is easy and sure, yield- 

 ing a very large product. In this respect it differs materially from apo- 

 morphia, the preparation of which is tedious, and the amount of yield very 

 uncertain, hence the high price of this valuable therapeutical agent. The 

 solutions of the two hydrochlorates also show the same differences that 

 the bases themselves do. In physiological effects also there is a decided 

 difference between the hydrochlorates, that of apomorphia being, as ob- 

 served by Dr. Gee, a very violent emetic, whilst that of apocodeia is, ac- 

 cording to Dr. Legg's experiments, a mild emetic ; it also produces sub- 

 cutaneous abscesses at the place of injection, which the apomorphia salt 

 does not. 



It has been shown in Part II. (Proc. Roy. Soc. vol. xvii. p. 460) of these 

 researches, that when codeia is heated with hydrochloric acid it splits up 

 into chloride of methyl, water, and apomorphia. The action of hydriodic 

 acid on narcotine for the elimination of the methyl contained in it is, how- 

 ever, more energetic than that of hydrochloric acid. Therefore it was 

 thought probable that, by means of hydriodic acid, CH 2 might be ab- 

 stracted alone, as iodide of methyl, from the codeia, leaving the elements of 

 water, and thus forming morphia. 



On trying the experiment, however, not a trace of iodide of methyl was 

 obtained, but the iodide of a new base, which is at present under ex- 

 amination. 



The codeia with which the foregoing experiments were made was kindly 

 presented to us by Messrs. M°Farlan and Co., of Edinburgh, to whose 

 liberality we are already so much indebted. 



" Experiments on the Action of Red Bordeaux Wine (Claret) on 

 the Human Body." By E. A. Parkes, M.D., F.R.S., Professor 

 of Hygiene in the Army Medical School, and Count Cyprian 

 Wollowicz, M.D.j Assistant Surgeon, Army Medical Staff. 

 Received July 5, 1870. 



In the Proceedings of the Royal Society (No. 120) is an account of 

 some experiments with pure alcohol and brandy on a healthy man. This 

 paper is intended as a continuation, with the substitution in the experi- 

 ments of red Bordeaux wine (claret) for alcohol and brandy. The same 



