NITRIC ACID ON VARIOUS VEGETABLES. 427 
SO that it can be readily crystallized out of either of these liquids. It is also a very 
stable salt, so that it is not altered by exposure to the air ; and even when it is treated 
with a dilute solution of potash in the cold it is not decomposed. With the assist- 
ance of heat, however, nitropicrate of potash is formed while the sparteine is elimi- 
nated. When nitropicrate of sparteine is sharply heated it detonates pretty strongly. 
The portion of the salt subjected to analysis was dried in vacuo, and when afterwards 
heated in the water-bath it lost no additional weight. 
I. 0*272 grm. salt gave 0*464 carbonic acid and 0*1 165 water. 
II. 0*2615 grm. salt gave 0*449 carbonic acid and 0*1145 water. 
The nitrogen was determined qualitatively according to Liebig’s method ; 571 mea- 
sures of mixed gases yielded 72 measures of nitrogen and 499 of carbonic acid ; being 
nitrogen in the proportion of 8 to 55^ carbonic acid, or nearly as 4 to 27. 
Calculated numbers. Found numbers. 
27 c 
2025*0 
46*81 
I. 
46*51 
II. 
46*63 
16 H 
200*0 
4*62 
4*75 
4*86 
4 N 
700*8 
16*20 
15*68 
15*68 
14 0 
1400*0 
32*37 
33*06 
32*83 
4325*8 
100*00 
100*00 
100*00 
The formula of this salt therefore is C15 H13 N, C12 Ha N3 Oj3-l-HO. 
Chloride of Platinum and Sparteine. 
When an excess of bichloride of platinum is added to a cold solution of sparteine 
in hydrochloric acid, a bulky yellow precipitate immediately falls, which is but 
slightly soluble in either water or alcohol, and when boiled with these liquids it is 
partially decomposed. It dissolves, however, without decomposition either in hot 
concentrated hydrochloric acid, or in that acid when diluted with an equal weight of 
water. The double chloride is deposited from the latter solution in very regularly 
formed orange-coloured crystals of considerable size and great lustre. These crystals 
may be generally described as a modification of the rectangular prism, with elongated 
triangular facets at either extremity, being precisely similar to that form which the 
ammonio-phosphate of magnesia has when spontaneously deposited from neutral or 
alkaline urine. The double chloride does not suffer the slightest change by exposure 
to the air. It was washed with a little cold alcohol, and when dried in vacuo was 
submitted to analysis. 
Pt=29*02 per cent, platinum. 
Pt=28*63 per cent, platinum. 
Pt =28*73 per cent, platinum. 
=28*75 per cent, platinum. 
0*4395 grm. salt gave 0*1272 =28*94 per cent, platinum. 
0*7204 grm. salt gave 0*2054 =28*51 per cent, platinum. 
0*224 grm. salt gave 0*065 
0*709 grm. salt gave 0*203 
0*369 grm. salt gave 0*106 
0*466 grm. salt gave 0*134 
Mean . . 28*76 Pt. 
