COMPOSITION AND METAMORPHOSES OF CONINE. 
73 
Some of these lints are composed of linen, others of cotton. In 
order to give practical value to our description of each variety, we 
have furnished samples to two Metropolitan hospitals for trial, and 
hope to be favored with reports in time for our next number, when 
we intend to resume the subject. 
It is probable that the above list may not include all the varie- 
ties which are in the market. If this be the case, we shall be glad 
to receive such information as may enable us to complete the in- 
vestigation, it being our object to give a fair and impartial report 
of every kind of lint which is manufactured. — PhaTTn. Jour. 
ON THE COMPOSITION AND METAMORPHOSES OF CONINE. 
By J. Blyth. 
The recent analytical results of this chemist do not accord with 
those already obtained by M. Ortigosa. The difficulty of obtaining 
the alkaloid in a pure state is such that it is not easy to deduce a 
reliable formula except from the analyses of its saline combinations. 
From a careful comparison of the results, M. Gerhardt is led to ob- 
tain the formula already adopted by him in his Precis (vol. ii, p. 66) 
C 8 H 15 N, or in the ordinary notation, Cf 6 Hr 5 N ; that of Mr. Blyth is 
C 17 H i7 N, and that of Ortigosa C 16 H 16 N, neither of which gives a 
number of equivalents of nitrogen and hydrogen divisible by 4. 
The results obtained by M. Ortigosa approach very closely to those 
calculated from M. Gerhardt's formula. 
According to Mr. Blyth, the boiling point of conine is 168°-171° 
C. ; but it is altered by heat so that the temperature rises during the 
distillation* Its density is -878. It is volatile at ordinary temper- 
atures, giving off a pungent odor which affects the eyes and produ- 
ces white fumes with nitric, hydrochloric and acetic acids. In a 
dry state it does not affect test papers, but on the addition of a drop 
of water its reaction is strongly alkaline. Conine readily coagulates 
albumen, and precipitates the salts of Cu, Pb, Zn, Mn, Al and Fe, 
it precipitates also nitrate of silver but an excess of conine dissolves 
the precipitate; it dissolves the chloride of silver as readily as ammo- 
nia. Most of the salts of conine are decomposed by evaporation, 
leaving gummy residues : many of these are crystallizable as the 
hydrochlorate, but very deliquescent. 
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