136 
NEWLY* DISCOVERED  SALT  OF  QUININE. 
authors  have  consequently  attempted  its  isolation.  Every  part 
of  the  Physalis  is  bitter,  especially  the  leaves  and  fruit-capsules. 
The  alcoholic  extract  of  the  plant  yielded  a  bitter  dark-colored 
mass.  The  bitter  principle  is  taken  up  by  cold  water,  and  was 
separated  either  by  means  of  charcoal,  from  which  it  was  after- 
wards dissolved  by  alcohol,  or  by  shaking  the  aqueous  solution 
with  chloroform.  The  bitter  principle  thus  obtained  was  pulveru- 
lent, slightly  colored,  and  very  bitter. 
JPhy saline  C28  H32  01P>  prepared  in  the  last-mentioned  manner, 
is,  when  pure,  a  white  powder,  with  a  faint  tinge  of  yellow ;  its 
taste  is  at  first  faintly,  afterwards  permanently  bitter ;  it  is  un- 
crystalline,  softens  at  356°  or  374°  P.,  and  then  soon  decom- 
poses, burning  with  a  smoky  flame.  It  is  very  sparingly  soluble 
in  cold  water,  to  which  it  communicates  a  bitter  taste ;  more 
soluble  in  hot  water,  chloroform  and  alcohol ;  and  sparingly  solu- 
ble in  ether  and  acids.  It  is  also  dissolved  by  ammonia,  and  re- 
mains unaltered  after  its  volatilization.  It  is  not  precipitated  by 
nitrate  of  silver  and  ammonia  from  the  alcoholic  solution  ;  it  is 
precipitated  by  an  ammoniacal  solution  of  acetate  of  lead. 
Dried  in  vacuo,  it  gave  on  analysis — 
Carbon,  .  .  .  63-78  63-57  28  63-64 
Hydrogen,  .  .  6-33  6.30  32  6.06 
Oxygen,    ...  —  —        10  30.30 
Compound  of  Phy  saline  ivith  Oxide  of  Leadfi26!!30  09+3PbO. 
— Prepared  as  above  and  dried  in  vacuo,  it  gave  on  analysis 
54-34  per  cent,  oxide  of  lead ;  theory  requires  56-70.  The 
authors  do  not  consider  their  analyses  as  decisive.  The  compo- 
sition of  enicine,  the  bitter  principle  of  Carduus  benedictus, 
approximates  very  closely  to  the  above : — Carbon,  62-9  ;  hydro- 
gen, 6-9;  oxygen,  30-2.  The  fruit  of  the  Physalis  contains 
citric  acid. — Ibid,  from  Journ.  de  JPharm.  et  de  Chim.,  3rd  ser., 
vol.  xxi.  p.  24-27. 
NEWLY-DISCOVERED  SALT  OF  QUININE. 
Dr.  William  Herapath,  of  Bristol,  [Eng.,]  in  a  paper  com- 
municated to  the  Philosophical  Magazine,  has  drawn  attention 
to  the  optical  properties  of  a  newly-discovered  salt  of  quinine, 
