DR. KANE ON THE CHEMICAL HISTORY OF ARCHIL AND LITMUS. 319 
equivalent amount, and it is known that on this principle is founded the law of sub- 
stitutions, proposed by Dumas, and which has led that illustrious chemist to his theory 
of organic types, which now occupies so much the minds of chemists. Now it is a 
question, does this replacement of hydrogen occur in bleaching ? are the colour- 
ing matters similar to other organic substances in that respect ? or do they, particu- 
larly when containing azote, follow other and peculiar laws ? To the solution of 
these questions, the following experiments were directed. 
1 st. Action of chlorine on betaorceine. 
When chlorine is brought into contact with pure betaorceine, diffused through 
water, or still better, in solution in an ammoniacal liquor, the colour gradually alters 
until the whole is changed into a brownish yellow substance insoluble in water. To 
this substance I give the name of Chlororceine. As soon as all the orceine is decom- 
posed, the current of chlorine should be stopped, as by a great excess of chlorine the 
composition of this body is subject to be altered. The chlororceine is insoluble in 
water ; soluble in alcohol and ether ; also in water of ammonia, forming a deep 
yellowish brown liquor, from which it is again precipitated by acids, though not 
without being changed. This ammoniacal liquor is also precipitated by metallic 
salts, forming compounds which probably contain some form of chlororceine, but 
which have not been more minutely examined. 
The chlororceine, simply prepared and dried at 212° Fahr., was analysed. 
A. 0700 of material gave by ignition with carbonate of soda, and precipitation 
with nitrate of silver, 0766 of chloride of silver. 
0*576 of material gave 0*227 of water, and 0*842 of carbonic acid. 
Another specimen being examined, 
B. 0*842 gramme gave 0*887 of chloride of silver. 
0*543 gramme gave 0*782 of carbonic acid, and 0*210 of water. 
Hence the composition in 100 parts. 
A. 
B. 
Carbon 
40*35 
39*82 
Hydrogen 
4*38 
4*31 
> 
Oxygen and Nitrogen . . 
28*27 
29*87 
Chlorine 
27*00 
26*00 J 
ula C 18 H 10 NO g Cl 2 , gives 
18 Carbon 
. 109*8 
40-86 
10 Hydrogen 
10*0 
3*72 
8 Oxygen 
1 Nitrogen 
64*0 4 
14*1 j 
29*07 
2 Chlorine 
. 70*8 
26*35 
100*00 
268*7 
100*00 
