^""sepri^si™'  }  Japanese  Belladonna.  451 
acid  solution  by  chloroform.  It  crystallizes,  furnishes  crystal lizable 
salts,  and  its  solution  produces  dilatation  of  the  pupil  when  dropped  into 
the  eye  of  a  rabbit.  The  second  alkaloid,  which  occurs  in  the  root  in 
larger  amount,  is  extracted  from  the  alkaline  solution  by  chloroform, 
and  was  only  obtained  in  an  amorphous  condition.  It  is  sparingly 
soluble  in  water,  but  readily  soluble  in  acidulated  water,  also  in  chlo- 
roform and  alcohol.  For  this  alkaloid  the  name  scopoleina  has  been 
'proposed,  and,  as  has  been  previously  stated,  in  its  action  upon  the 
animal  organism  it  appears  to  resemble  atropia,  although  the  relation 
which  it  bears  to  this  latter  alkaloid  has  not  yet  been  established.  In 
consequence  of  a  deficiency  of  material,  an  analysis  could  not  be  made 
'Of  it,  but  the  following  data  are  believed  to  suffice  to  indicate  the  posi- 
ition  of  the  body  from  a  pharmaco-dynamical  point  of  view. 
Sodium  hydrate,  sodium  carbonate  and  ammonia  precipitate  the  alka- 
loid from  its  solutions  in  slightly  acidulated  water  as  a  white,  curdy 
iprecipitate,  which  dissolves  in  an  excess  of  the  precipitant.  Iodine  in 
potassium  iodide  produces  a  brown-red  precipitate  ;  mercurio-potassic 
iodide,  cadmium  iodide  and  sodium  phosphomolybdate  produce  white 
precipitates,  which  dissolve  without  coloration  in  an  excess  of  ammo- 
nia. Tannic  acid  precipitates  it  from  its  acid,  neutral  and  feebly  alka- 
line solutions.  Upon  the  addition  of  an  excess  of  acid  the  precipitate 
is  increased  in  extent,  and  is  dissolved  by  ammonia.  Gold  chloride 
produces  a  yellow  precipitate;  platinic  chloride  does  not  precipitate  it 
from  dilute  solutions,  but  from  concentrated  ones  a  whitish  yellow 
precipitate  is  obtained.  Mercuric  chloride  produces  no  precipitate. 
Concentrated  nitric  acid  forms  a  colorless  solution,  but  upon  warming 
the  solution  becomes  bright  yellow.  With  concentrated  sulphuric  acid 
it  forms  a  colorless  solution,  but  upon  warming  it  becomes  brown  with 
the  development  of  the  odor  of  flowers.  A  similar  odor  is  also  devel- 
oped on  warming  with  sulphuric  acid  and  potassium  bichromate. 
When  boiled  with  alcoholic  potassa,  the  alkaloid  is  split  into  a  new 
base  and  an  acid,  the  latter  being  obtained  from  its  ethereal  solution 
on  evaporation  as  an  oily  liquid,  which  is  almost  insoluble  in  cold 
water.  In  hot  water  it  is  somewhat  more  soluble,  and  crystallizes 
from  this  solution  in  long,  colorless  needles.  It  volatilizes  with  the 
vapors  of  water. 
Characteristic  for  the  action  of  the  alkaloid  is  the  dilatation  of  the 
pupil,  which  is  produced  as  well  by  internal  as  by  direct  application, 
and  its  action  upon  the  heart.    The  heart  of  a  frog  brought  to  a  con- 
