'620  Action  and  Reactions  of  ChinoUn. 
When  only  half  the  above  quantity  of  methj^l  iodide  is  employed, 
free  codeine  is  obtained  ;  but  the  yield  is  only  small,  since  the  greater 
part  of  the  methyl  iodide  combines  with  the  morphine,  forming  mor- 
phine methiodide.  The  codeine  thus  artificially  prepared  is  identical 
in  chemical  properties  and  crystalline  form  with  the  codeine  extracted 
from  opium.  Its  molecular  rotatory  power  for  =  — 1 30*34° 
approximately  ;  that  of  natural  codeine  being  — 133*18°. 
If  ethyl  iodide  is  substituted  for  methyl  iodide  in  the  above  reac- 
tion, a  new  base,  C^gllggNOg,  homologous  with  codeine  is  obtained.  It 
crystallizes  with  1  mol.  in  hard  brilliant  plates,  which  are 
slightly  less  soluble  in  boiling  water  than  codeine,  but  dissolve  readily 
in  alcohol  and  ether.  It  melts  at  83°,  forming  a  limpid  liquid  which 
does  not  crystallize  on  cooling ;  at  100°  it  becomes  brown  and  is 
decomposed.  The  hydrochloride  crystallizes  in  mammillary  groups 
of  fine  needles.  The  base  is  precipitated  from  solutions  of  its 
salts  by  potassium  hydroxide  and  the  alkaline  carbonates,  but  not  by 
ammonia. 
Careful  study  of  the  properties  of  morphine  leads  to  the  conclusion 
that  it  is  analogous  to  phenol.  From  this  point  of  view,  codeine  is 
the  methylic  ether  of  morpliine,  and  the  new  base  is  the  ethylic  ether. 
A  whole  series  of  such  ethers  may  exist,  and  for  these  tlie  author  pro- 
poses the  generic  name  of  codeines.  Codeine  will  then  be  codomethyl- 
ene,  and  the  new  base  will  be  codethylene. 
Bochefontaine  has  found  that  codethylene  acts  as  a  poison,  producing 
convulsions. — Jour.  Chem.Soc,  Sept.,  1881,  from  Compt.  Rend. 
THE  PHYSIOLOGICAL  ACTION  AND  CHEMICAL  RE- 
ACTIONS OF  CHINOLIN. 
By  J.  DONATH. 
Some  time  since,  the  author  called  attention  to  the  antipyretic  and 
antiseptic  action  of  chinolin.  It  was  stated  among  other  things  that 
it  can  lower  the  temperature  of  tlie  blood,  prevent  the  putrefaction  of 
easily  decomposable  substances,  such  as  urine,  blood  and  gelatin,  stop 
the  coagulation  of  blood  and  greatly  retard  that  of  milk. 
How  energetic  a  bacteria  poison  chinolin  is  has  since  been  proved 
by  some  direct  experiments  with  Bucholz's  cultivation  liquid  (contain- 
ing sugar  candy  10  parts,  ammonium  tartrate  1  part,  and  potassium 
phosphate  0*5  part,  in  100  parts  of  water,  and  with  an  alkaline  reaction). 
J  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
I       Dec,  1881. 
