Action of Tannin on Organic Salifiable Bases, fyc. 233 
usual way; that is, a solution is to be made in a small quan- 
tity of water, and soda, potash or ammonia, or what is bet- 
ter, pure magnesia, carefully added, the alkaloid is then to be 
re-dissolved by means of alcohol or sulphuric ether, from 
which it can be freed by distillation or evaporation. 
If the vegetable base is volatile, some modification of the 
manipulation is necessary. 
This matter has been applied to the extraction of quinine, 
cinchonine, strychnine, brucine, codeine, atropine, aconitine, 
caffeine, &c, and the results have shown that it may be at- 
tended with advantageous consequences. 
Quinine and Cinchonine. — The product of an acidulated 
alcoholic decoction is to be taken, and treated with an excess 
of hydrate of lead, the clear liquid on being distilled will give 
a residue which is to be neutralized by acetic acid ; this liquid 
being diluted and treated with tannin as above, will afford 
the alkaloids of bark. 
By acting on the yellow uncrystallizable mother water of 
sulphate of quinine, I have readily separated both quinine and 
cinchonine. 
Strychnine and Brucine. — In operating with tannin on the 
clear product of an acidulated decoction of nux vomica, I 
have obtained a precipitate of bitannate, from which I sepa- 
rated strychnine and brucine by means of boiling alcohol of 
18° to 35°; these were combined with sulphuric and acetic 
acids, and thus afforded me a very white and crystallized 
acetate of strychnine, and an equally good product of sulphate 
of brucine. 
Codeine. — This alkaloid which is not met with in all the 
opiums of commerce, or at least in very minute quantities in 
some of them, is so perfectly characterized as to leave no 
doubt of its existence. It is, however, only by operating on 
very large quantities of opium that it can be successfully ob- 
tained. Having ascertained that by the acid of tannin it was 
possible to extract small proportions of codeine from a fluid 
containing it, I followed the following plan, operating on two 
or three ounces of opium only : 
The opium was exhausted by warm water; the solution 
was filtered and properly concentrated, and a great excess 
Vol. I.— No. 3. • 30 
