136 
RESEARCHES ON NARCOTINE, ETC. 
ART. XXXIII. — RESEARCHES ON NARCOTINE AND THE 
PRODUCTS OF ITS DECOMPOSITION. 
By Prof. Wohler. 
This investigation was undertaken in the hope that the 
products of decomposition of the vegetable alkaloids, of 
which as yet very little is known, might throw some light 
on the peculiar constitution and mode of origin of this re- 
markable class of bodies. For several reasons narcotine 
was first selected. Exposed in the presence of an acid to 
oxidizing influences, it is decomposed into an acid contain- 
ing no nitrogen, into an organic base and carbonic acid. 
This decomposition is best effected by heating a solution of 
narcotine in excess of dilute sulphuric acid, with finely 
pulverized hyper-oxide of manganese as long as any car- 
bonic acid is given off. The new acid has been called 
opianic acid ; the new base cotarnine. 
1. Opianic Jicid. — This was discovered some years ago 
in conjunction with Prof. Liebig. It subsides, on the cool- 
ing of the above mixture, as a yellow mass of minute crys- 
tals. It is readily obtained perfectly colorless by treatment 
with hypochlorite of soda; it crystallizes in thin narrow 
prisms, which are frequently ramified, arborescent, or unit- 
ed in concentric radiating groups ; it has a very faintly bit- 
ter taste, is slightly soluble in cold water, but much more 
soluble in boiling water, so that a hot saturated solution 
solidifies on cooling to a mass of crystals. It melts at 284° 
without parting with any water ; it is not volatile, but 
creeps up the sides of the vessel so much that it distils over ; 
it burns with flame ; its vapor possesses an aromatic odor, 
and calls to mind that of heated narcotine. 
It undergoes a very remarkable change on being submit- 
ted to the influence of heat. The melted acid remains soft 
