320 DR. KANE ON THE CHEMICAL HISTORY OF ARCHIL AND LITMUS. 
In the production of this substance there are therefore two equivalents of chlorine 
directly added to the betaorceine, and the proportion of hydrogen proves that in this 
case no replacement of hydrogen occurs. This is further shown by the fact, that in 
the action of chlorine on pure orceine, there is produced a mere trace of hydrochloric 
acid. The relation of the carbon and the nitrogen has been assumed as being unal- 
tered by the action of the chlorine : this I have not directly proved completely; indeed, 
for some time I believed that a portion of the nitrogen was eliminated by the chlorine, 
as sal-ammoniac, but although the small quantity of orceine at my disposal prevented 
me from fully ascertaining the relation to remain eighteen to one, yet in a trial which 
I made it appeared so nearly that, that I believe it may be looked upon as sufficiently 
determined to be made the basis of the formula. I therefore look upon chlororceine 
as being C 18 H 10 N O g Cl 2 , and I consider the bodies 
Azolitmine . . C 18 H 10 N 0 8 . 0 2 
Leucorceine . . C 18 H 10 N 0 8 . H 2 
Chlororceine . . C 18 H 10 N 0 8 . Cl 2 
as being similar to one another, and belonging to the same family or organic type. 
It is evident that the betaorceine itself might be looked on as a sort of compound 
radical, of which the azolitmine would be the oxide, and the others respectively the 
hydruret and chloride. Thus calling betaorceine, from its purple colour, Phcenyl 
= Phy. 
Azolitmine becomes . . . Phy -f 0 2 
Leucorceine Phy -f- H 2 
Chlororceine Phy + Cl 2 . 
It is adverse to this view, that the bodies, which we consider to be compound ra- 
dicals, do not possess the property of combining with metallic oxides, as orceine has 
been found to do. The action of alkalies on chlororceine is also opposed to this simple 
view. 
When chlororceine is dissolved in solution of potash, or of ammonia, there is formed 
a certain portion of metallic chloride, and on the addition of an acid, a substance is 
precipitated rather darker coloured than the chlororceine had been originally, but 
otherwise identical with it in properties. In composition, this substance differs remark- 
ably from chlororceine ; the proportion of chlorine remaining in it is not always the 
same, the chlororceine appearing to dissolve at first without alteration, but by boiling 
for some time, being decomposed in a complex manner, giving an alkaline chloride 
and two organic substances, which differ in solubility, though not very much. On 
this account, the analyses made of this precipitated substance do not agree well among 
themselves, and I shall here introduce the analysis of a specimen in which the de 
composition appeared to be most complete, only for the purpose of pointing out the 
direction of the result, and perhaps its approximate value. It was the more soluble 
portion which was analysed. 
