PRACTICAL  AND  SCIENTIFIC  NOTES. 
99 
of  the  filtrate  which  ought  to  have  contained  the  veratria  was 
evaporated,  the  residue  taken  up  with  water  acidulated  with  a 
little  muriatic  acid,  and  tested  with  phosphomolybdic  acid  and 
with  iodohydrargyrate  of  potassium  ;  both  reagents  had  no  effect. 
Astonished  at  the  unexpected  result,  I  exhausted  some  of  the 
lime  precipitate  by  boiling  alcohol,  and  treated  the  filtrate  in 
the  same  way ;  I  likewise  tested  the  solution  of  the  precipitate 
caused  by  alcohol,  but  without  any  better  result. 
It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  the  dead  stalks  of  Veratruin 
viride  contain  no  alkaloid,  and  their  careful  removal  previous 
to  preparing  the  fluid  extract  is  indispensable.  If  time  permits, 
I  shall  try  to  isolate  the  saponaceous  principle. 
Solarium  pseadocapsioum.  Daring  last  fall  I  gathered 
from  this  shrub  some  berries,  which  are  commonly  known  by 
the  name  of  Jerusalem  cherries.  The  following  are  the  results 
of  some  preliminary  experiments,  instituted  previous  to  an  in- 
tended analysis,  for  which,  however,  I  have  not  yet  found  the 
time.  When  the  ripe  berries  are  treated  with  water,  a  lemon- 
yellow,  slightly  turbid  liquid  is  obtained,  which  has  an  acid  re- 
action, and  is  not  disturbed  by  iodohydrargyrate  of  potassium, 
except  after  considerable  concentration.  It  was  supersaturated 
with  carbonate  of  soda  and  agitated  with  ether,  which,  on  spon- 
taneous evaporation,  left  a  light  orange-yellow  mass,  consisting, 
most  probably,  in  part  of  coloring  matter.  A  portion  of  it  was 
dissolved  in  muriatic  acid,  and  now  gave  evidence  of  the  pre- 
sence of  an  alkaloid  by  causing  precipitates  when  treated  with 
•Mayer's  and  Sonnenschein's  tests.  The  behaviour  of  this  im- 
pure alkaloid  towards  some  tests  is  as  follows  : — Nitric  acid 
produces  no  alteration  ;  sulphuric  acid  causes  a  brown,  after- 
wards black  color ;  bichromate  of  potassa  and  sulphuric  acid 
develops  gradually  a  green  color  in  consequence  of  the  reduc- 
tion of  chromic  acid  to  the  oxide. 
Several  cases  of  poisoning  by  Jerusalem  cherries  have  been 
reported ;  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  this  alkaloid  is  the  poison- 
ous principle. 
The  pulp,  which  had  been  exhausted  by  water,  was  treated 
with  strong  alcohol,  which  acquired  a  beautiful  orange  color; 
the  treatment  was  continued  as  long  as  the  alcohol  was  colored. 
