194 
ACTIVE  CONSTITUENTS  OF  ERGOT  OP  RYE. 
spective  bases  being  precipitated.  Lime  and  potassa,  the 
latter  in  greater  quantity,  were  found.  Phospho-molybdic 
acid  and  bichloride  of  mercury  caused  voluminous  precipitates. 
COURSE  OF  ANALYSIS. 
A  cold  prepared  aqueous  infusion  of  Ergot  was  precipitated 
with  acetate  of  lead.  The  filtrate,  after  being  deprived  of 
lead  by  sulphide  of  hydrogen,  was  treated  with  a  mixture 
consisting  of  equal  parts  of  saturated  solutions  of  bichloride 
of  mercury  and  bicarbonate  of  potassa,  (bichloride  of  mercury 
does  not  by  itself  completely  precipitate  the  infusion,)  the  well 
washed  precipitate  suspended  in  water,  and  then  decomposed 
by  passing  sulphide  of  hydrogen  through  it.  A  portion  of 
the  filtrate,  on  being  evaporated  spontaneously,  deposited 
minute,  colorless,  but  well  defined  cubical  crystals.  On  adding 
to  another  portion  a  solution  of  potassa  in  excess  and  heat- 
ing, the  pungent  ammoniacal  odor  of  propylamina  were 
evolved.  The  solution  responded  to  the  test  for  chlorine. 
Phospho-molybdic  acid  gave  a  voluminous,  flocculent,  yel- 
lowish precipitate.  On  evaporating  a  portion  of  the  solution, 
the  solid  residue  gave  on  heating  a  sublimate  of  chloride  of 
propylamina,  accompanied  by  free  hydrochloric  acid,  a  con- 
siderable quantity  of  carbonaceous  residue  being  left  behind. 
To  another  portion  of  the  solution  was  added  potassa  in  ex- 
cess, and  heated  until  no  more  propylamina  was  given  oif ; 
then,  on  acidulating  the  solution  with  hydrochloric  acid  and 
testing  with  phospho-molybdic  acid,  voluminous  precipitates 
were  obtained.  These  reactions  clearly  indicated  the  presence 
of  another  substance  besides  propylamina.  After  many  fruit- 
less attempts  to  separate  the  mixed  bases  fractional  precipita- 
tions, as  seemingly  promising  the  best  results,  were  tried. 
For  this  purpose  a  cold  prepared  infusion  of  eight  ounces  of 
finely  pulverized  Ergot  in  one  quart  of  water,  after  being 
neutralized  by  potassa  was  precipitated  by  chloride  of  barium, 
filtered,  to  the  filtrate  half  an  ounce  of  bicarbonae  of  potassa 
was  added,  and  after  its  solution  again  filtered.  To  this  filtrate 
four  ounces  of  a  saturated  solution  of  bichloride  of  mercury 
was  added,  allowed  to  stand  twelve  hours,  and  the  precipitate, 
