18 
NOTE  ON  CHLORODYNE. 
Another  portion  of  the  alcohol  was  evaporated  in  a  watch- 
glass  ;  a  small  portion  of  viscid  matter  was  left,  having  a  pun- 
gent, peppery  taste. 
The  matter  insoluble  in  alcohol  appeared  to  he  glucose.  It 
dissolved  readily  in  water.  A  drop  of  sulphuric  acid  was  added, 
and  the  solution  filtered.  A  few  green  streaks  were  left  on  the 
filter,  resembling  chlorophylle.  To  the  solution  carbonate  of  soda 
was  added  in  slight  excess,  which  caused  a  fiocculent  matter  to 
separate  ;  this  was  collected,  and  found  to  re-dissolve  readily  in 
water  acidulated  with  acetic  acid.  A  dilute  solution  of  potassa 
again  precipitated  it.  The  precipitate,  agitated  with  an  excess 
of  potassa,  dissolved  but  sparingly  ;  the  clear  solution  again 
aiforded  a  precipitate  on  being  neutralized  with  acetic  acid. 
This  reaction  would  indicate  the  presence  of  morphia,  though 
the  appearance  of  the  precipitate,  when  examined  under  a  glass, 
was  not  recognized  as  the  usual  form  of  this  alkaloid.  That 
portion  insoluble  in  potassa  was  again  dissolved  in  dilute  acetic 
acid  ;  to  the  slightly  acid  solution  carbonate  of  soda  was  added 
in  excess.  After  standing  an  hour  or  two  the  solution  remained 
clear.  On  heating  it  sufficiently  to  expel  the  free  carbonic  acid 
present,  the  solution  became  turbid,  and  deposited  a  flocculent 
matter,  which,  under  a  glass  of  60  diameters,  appeared  amor- 
phous, was  sparingly  soluble  in  spirits  of  wine,  and  infusible, 
charring  when  heated. 
Of  the  alkaloids  from  opium,  codeia  behaves  with  reagents 
somewhat  similar,  viz.,  not  precipitated  from  weak  acid  solu- 
tions by  alkaline  carbonates  immediately,  and  not  precipitated 
from  its  solutions  by  ammonia.  The  alkaloids  strychnia,  bru- 
cia,  and  veratria  are  soluble  in  a  solution  containing  free  car- 
bonic acid.  The  absence  of  the  first  was  indicated  by  the  want 
of  its  characteristic  bitterness,  and  the  last  two  by  insolubility 
in  alcoholic  menstrua. 
Having  encroached  as  far  on  the  contents  of  the  bottle  as  I 
felt  free  to  do,  I  have  not  determined  to  my  own  satisfaction 
the  character  of  the  alkaloids  present  in  chlorodyne,  and  hope 
that  some  of  the  correspondents  of  this  Journal  will  give  us  more 
information  concerning  this  nostrum. 
About  two-thirds  of  chlorodyne  appears  to  be  treacle ;  the 
remaining  one-third  chloroform,  a  small  amount  of  water,  in 
