160 
ON THE PREPARATION OF ATROPINE. 
into a small tubulated retort, and the distillation carried on in a 
water-bath until all the chloroform has passed into the receiver. r lhe 
residue in the retort is digested with a little water acidulated with 
sulphuric acid, which dissolves the atropine, leaving a green resin- 
ous matter ; the filtered solution is colorless. In order to obtain 
the atropine in a state of purity, it is merely necessary to pour the 
solution into a slight excess of carbonate of potash, to collect the 
precipitate, and to dissolve it in rectified alcohol. This solution 
furnishes, on spontaneous evaporation, beautiful groups of acicular 
crystals of atropine. 
When it is impossible to obtain the fresh herb, the carefully pre- 
pared officinal extract may be used. 30 grms. of extract of bella- 
donna, made with the purified juice of this plant, were dissolved in 
100 grms. of distilled water; 2 grms. of caustic potash and 15 grms. 
of chloroform were added to the filtered solution. After having agi- 
tated the mixture for a minute, and then left it to settle for half an 
hour, the chloroform holding the atropine had subsided ; it was 
washed with water three times after the supernatant liquid had been 
decanted ; the chloroform solution, collected upon a watch-glass 
weighed 11 grms. This solution, exposed to the air, soon evaporated 
leaving a greenish crystalline mass, consisting almost entirely of 
atropine ; digested with acidulated water, this mass, on being mixed 
with a solution or" carbonate of potash, furnished a precipitate which 
weighed 15 centigrms. It was entirely soluble in rectified alcohol, 
and furnished, on spontaneous evaporation, beautiful crystals of 
atropme. 
I believe this method may be applied to several other substances 
containing organic alkaloids; if not an economical method of obtain- 
ing these products, it may at least serve in many cases for determin- 
ing quickly the value of certain commercial products. 
In an early communication I shall describe a method for quickly 
ascertaining the commercial value of the Cinchonas, by acting upon 
a very small quantity of bark; I shall also show, that, by means of 
chloroform, the least traces of iodine can be detected, and shall point 
out the advantages which it possesses over that by starch. — Chem. 
Gazette, Dec. 2, 1850, from Comptes Rendus. 
