56 
DR. JOHN STENHOUSE ON THE NITROGENATED PRINCIPLES OF 
mosses of the present day. Had the plants in both cases been the same, I see no 
reason for doubting that when distilled they would have yielded identical bases. 
Formation of Organic Bases from the nitrogenous Principles of Vegetables and Animals 
otherwise than by destructive Distillation. 
1. By treating them with alhaUne lyes. — From the facts which have been previously 
stated, I think we are warranted to conclude, that when ammonia is produced in 
large quantities by the destructive distillation of either vegetable or animal sub- 
stances, it is always accompanied by the formation of organic bases. Now as am- 
monia is known to be procurable from these substances by several other methods, it 
seemed by no means improbable that on these occasions organic bases would also be 
produced. It has long been known that ammonia is largely generated when the 
nitrogenous portions of either plants or animals are boiled with strong alkaline lyes. 
A quantity of beans was therefore introduced into the body of a large still, and was 
boiled with a strong solution of caustic soda. The beans were speedily disintegrated, 
being converted into a slimy, dark-coloured pulp. The greatest difficulty attending 
the operation was caused by the frothing up of the pasty mixture, which, unless the 
still was very capacious and the fire kept moderate, was very apt to boil over and 
choke up the worm of the distilling apparatus. By cautiously rectifying the product 
of the distillation, a clear, strongly alkaline liquid was procured. It contained a large 
amount of ammonia, a little of a very agreeably smelling aromatic oil, and a con- 
siderable quantity of organic bases. The liquid was neutralized with muriatic acid, 
and the aromatic oil separated by means of a moist filter. On supersaturating with 
caustic soda and redistilling it, a strongly ammoniacal liquid passed into the receiver. 
It contained a considerable quantity of oily bases, partly in solution and partly float- 
ing on the liquid. These bases closely resemble those obtained by destructively di- 
stilling the beans, but whether they will prove identical with them or not I am at 
present unable to say. 
Oil-cake was also distilled with a strong soda lye. It also yielded ammonia and 
similar organic bases. I should therefore expect that the same results will be ob- 
tained with the corresponding nitrogenous portions of most other plants. 
Part II. 
Bases from Flesh by the Action of Caustic Lyes. 
An ox-liver was cut into moderate sized pieces, and introduced into the body of a 
capacious still containing a quantity of tolerably strong caustic soda. The liver, 
speedily dissolved, formed a brownish and very liquid jelly, which frothed up ex- 
ceedingly. A strongly ammoniacal liquid distilled over accompanied by an aromatic 
oil, very similar to that obtained from the beans. The ammoniacal liquid was neu- 
tralized with muriatic acid and concentrated. During this operation the aromatic 
