202 
OXYGEN ON ORGANIC BASES. 
centrated nitric acid, producing a red color as beautiful as 
that resulting from the action of this acid on brucia. Sul- 
phuric acid also dissolves it, but more slowly, and likewise 
assumes a very fine red color. Hydrochloric and acetic 
acids, as well as caustic potassa, also dissolve it very well, 
but they take a yellow color. 
B. This substance, like the foregoing, is uncrystallizable ; 
its taste is bitter, and it has a red color when in a thin layer, 
and black when in a mass, It is insoluble in ether and in 
boiling alcohol at 90° C. It dissolves very well in this lat- 
ter liquid when diluted with water. It dissolves in distilled 
water, to which it communicates a beautiful wine-red color, 
which the acids render rather brighter, whilst caustic po- 
tassa turns it rather brown, and the subacetate of lead 
yellow. 
Concentrated sulphuric and nitric acids dissolve this sub- 
stance, as also does caustic potassa, acquiring a more or 
less deep yellowish-red color. 
The experiments which constitute the subject of this me- 
moir are still very incomplete. Most of the bodies whose 
existence I have noticed have not probably, been obtained 
in the perfectly pure state. The new investigations are, 
therefore, necessary : they will form the subject of a second 
memoir, which I will terminate with some reflections con- 
cerning the nature of the phenomena which accompany 
these curious metamorphoses of the organic alkalis. 
Ibid, from Journal de Chimie Medicale. 
