64 
REPORT —1854. 
was pointed out that, as far as experiment gives data for judging, this relation 
appears to be fulfilled in the comparative conditions of water and alcohol. 
CHEMISTRY. 
On the Constitution of Meconine and Papaverine, mid their Relations to tii 
other Constituents of Opium. By Thomas Anderson, itMX, Prof a ■ 
of Chemistry in the University of Glasgow. 
Tin: author commenced by referring to the opinion often expressed by dim - 
that where several well-marked crystalline compounds are met with in the si* 
plant, some definite chemical relation must exist between them. But even in tii - 
cases—as for instance in that of quinine and cinchonine, where the formula? of ' 
substances are very simply related—the conversion of one into the other lias not Ura 
successful. In the course of the author's investigation of the opium compmimk 
had obtained a product of decomposition of narcotine, which he called opian ■ 
J lie result of the experiments now detailed showed that this substance is idrf 
with the meconine which Combe found naturally existing in opium. The an: 1 
having thus made the first step towards the simplification of the complex chem - 
"f opium, concluded by pointing out the relations subsisting among its other coa>: 
tuents; and expressed the opinion that these could not be fortuitous, but pointed 
the possibility of further simplifications. 
°» the Alkaloids produced during the Destructive Distillation of Am 
■Substances. By Thomas Anderson. M.D., Professor of Cherniy * 
the University of Glasgow. 
vofflC 1 ? n? ,ai '! (l l !! e dt5tai,a of Dr. Anderson’s most recent researchesouw 
to thi> nir-'<!l'; IS , ° . '* d>e s He gave a description of a new base, collidine, belong.: 
substances l'.el s ‘‘ rR ' s ' nild ;i 8ct of experiments which established the fact that t'.^ 
. lo the class of nitrvle bases. Ethylo-piridiue and ethylo-piw- 
uesciibed, mid their decompositions explained. 
were 
^ °U°dion Negatives. By George Robert Berry, Liverpool. 
requisite iTmifV, *° b,, ' ebe ? n a gfent difficulty with many operators in obtaining 
satisfnctorv nc '6 ntl , vc collodion proof that shall by the after-priming > - 
lowed, tlu'" author nfir 1 ’ 0 ' ,m P rc, 5sions. Selecting from (lie formula; general'} j 
strengthen in the „rnn* .? a P cr „ a I , P ,,ed chloride of gold to the negatives he desire 
priulucc n/ e 0f ° ,,e S'™ to an ounce of water; and if this d ; dr-> 
the proof a solution 1 \ •“!' 8< * cr wa8 h«ng away the excess of chloride, floated 
to 1 ox. of water It - llde °f ammonium, varying in strength from 3 to 10 • r ‘' 
transmitted liolit "li..rod,,„ niCflns > impressions so feeble as to he hardly visit-- • 
ing. ()„ c diflicnltv n-n, ™P fl . de °/ yielding satisfactory results when used tor f* ‘ 
I... *.. Darned—the collndfnn film at 'all Fonder while niN* 
auilflPBtU'l » it ?IU W *» "W”-• 
becomes soeasily ^isnuIISd'f^IT 1 ! 6 C ° 1 ,lod ‘°” at a11 ,!mcs tender while 
...— ^ i fiom the glass plate after the application of an) 11 
tIIP flDnm'pU;- _ r . . r i . -•___ tlm ftvrfiC 
J 1 IAJITI 
•-tri iigtheninc nrocessoi »i, f«*‘® «*►« —- ~. 
and not tin- rule Tl.;-„i 1 i ° nc< l ll,8,t,x,n °f » perfect ne-cative was the exttf* 
to dry after In-inc dovelnneV 0 le may hie easily surmounted by allowing the photefrs 
of v,;, :ln> B „d ,1, v« S' a V d * Xe <* cith * r V cyanide of potassium or hvposu ; 
period of time he MiVeh- t'/"^ ^ 110 113ua ^ Wfl > - " The photograph may then - 
"iuin process olwm-vin » honed by repeating the gold and stdpbide of n ni - 
stimuli for ,1 ’ Si Writ of wine instead of water as the £ 
sti muli for the ™„h! o. i 1 • j reLt, ' ,c d spirit of wine instead of water as the in- 
the collodion film, and amlth^" T,le tenacity of the varnish ensures the; 
h'tind that l>v tho use Cr S® 0 . 1 varnish completes the profess. Thei • ; 
prolonged in'the camera ll?) aC , ld "? his Bi,Ver bath the tirae »!' exposure iv,o n 
and by this means he L, l ( ' le | l | ,ev chipcd pictures proved of extraordinary ln^- ( 
provided always that the eoIUr *“ nes bec,tl able to produce satisfactorv ne^ 
3 the collodions employed be not made sensitive by iodideor t- 
