498 
ON  THE  CHEMICAL  CONSTITUENTS  OF  COCA  LEAVES. 
more  nitrogen  than  any  other  alkaloid  known.  The  small  per- 
centage of  nitrogen  ascertained  in  cocaina  by  Dr.  Niemann, 
suggested  the  idea  that  it  might  probably  be  a  product  of  de- 
composition, and  that  the  odor  developed  by  carbonate  of  soda, 
might  perhaps  be  a  nitrogenous  body  or  another  alkaloid.  To 
ascertain  this,  and  to  find  out  whether  one  or  two  acids  were 
contained  in  the  tincture,  the  above  process  was  repeated  with 
the  balance  of  leaves,  weighing  less  than  an  ounce.  The  liquid, 
together  with  the  precipitate  occasioned  by  carbonate  of  soda, 
was  introduced  into  a  retort,  the  neck  of  which  was  connected 
with  a  bent  glass  tube,  dipping  into  a  little  dilute  muriatic  acid. 
When  heated  over  the  spirit  lamp,  the  concussions  were  so 
violent  that  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  place  the  retort  in  a 
sand  bath,  so  as  to  supply  from  the  sides  sufficient  heat  to  distil 
the  volatile  substances,  until  a  syrupy  liquid  remained  behind, 
from  which  the  alkaloid  was  separated  by  ether. 
The  muriatic  acid,  which  was  perfectly  clear  and  colorless, 
now  had  an  odor  somewhat  different  from  the  original  odor  of 
the  alkaline  liquid,  but  it  resembled  that  of  the  residue  in  the 
retort.  The  acid  solution  was  rendered  alkaline  by  carbonate 
of  soda  and  agitated  with  ether,  which  took  up  the  odorous 
principle  leaving  it  behind  on  spontaneous  evaporation  as  a  sofi; 
resin-like  coating.  The  odor  of  this  mass  is  heavy,  narcotic, 
the  taste  similar,  somewhat  acrid  ;  the  behaviour  to  test  paper, 
neutral,  but  exposed  to  the  damp  atmosphere  of  a  rainy  day, 
it  had  almost  completely  lost  its  odor  and  acquired  an  acid  re- 
action and  taste,  and  was  now  easily  soluble  in  water  and  alco- 
hol; the  solubility  of  the  odorous  mass  in  these  menstrua  had 
not  been  tried.  I  omitted  to  mention  that  the  hydrochloric 
acid  solution  was  tested  with  the  usual  reagents  for  alkaloids  : 
phosphomolybdic  acid,  and  the  chlorides  of  gold,  mercury  and 
platinum,  without  being  disturbed  by  either. 
This  odorous  principle  which  I  regard  as  a  product  of  de- 
composition of  some  constituent,  is  therefore  volatile  with  the 
vapors  of  water  in  a  slight  degree,  but  very  changeable  at  least 
in  a  moist  atmosphere.  It  is  likely  to  be  of  great  importance, 
as  it  is  stated  by  several  observers  that  an  infusion  of  the  leaves 
has  different  properties  from  the  same  leaves  chewed  with  an 
alkali.  Whether  or  not  it  is  nitrogenous,  must  at  present  be 
left  undecided. 
