AmseJP°tu^7h8arm:}  A  False  Pareira  Brava.  431 
a  temperature  of  200°F.,  lost  1*21  gram,  equal  to  io#i  per  cent.  Ten 
grams,  dried  as  above,  moistened  with  alcohol  and  packed  firmly  in  a 
conical  percolator,  required  15J  ounces  of  alcohol  to  exhaust  it.  On 
again  carefully  drying,  it  was  found  to  weigh  9*025  grams,  showing  the 
alcohol  had  taken  up  '975  gram.    The  percolate  was  evaporated  to  2 
fluidounees,  and  25  drops  of  sulphuric  acid  added  ;  on  standing  2  days 
it  threw  down  a  precipitate  of  a  dark  yellow  color,  weighing  "3665  grm. 
The  balance  of  the  drug  was  then  exhausted  with  alcohol  in  the  same 
manner,  and  the  percolate  reduced  by  evaporation  to  3  fluidounees,  to 
which,  while  hot,  40  drops  of  sulphuric  acid  were  added.    After  two 
days  a  large  quantity  of  dark-colored  crystals,  having  a  smell  very 
similar  to  honey,  was  obtained.    The  mother-liquor  was  drained  off 
and  the  precipitate  washed  with  water  acidulated  with  sulphuric  acid, 
20  drops  to  the  ounce,  until  the  coloring  matter  was  all  removed. 
The  residue  was  dissolved  in  hot  alcohol,  from  which  it  was  thrown 
down,  on  cooling,  in  beautiful  yellow  stellate  crystals,  which  were 
further  purified  with  the  aid  of  animal  charcoal  and  by  recrystallization 
from  alcohol.    The  crystals  resembled  those  of  berberina  salt  in  appear- 
ance, and  to  prove  their  identity  the  same  tests  were  applied  to  both,, 
when  it  was  found  that  muriate  of  berberina  readily  volatilized,  while 
the  other  product  was  carbonized  and  required  the  addition  of  nitric 
acid  to  make  it  volatilize  readily.    The  berberina  salt  does  not  form  a 
clear  solution  with  ether,  but  the  salt  obtained  was  readily  soluble, 
forming  a  bright-yellow  solution.    The  berberina  salt  is  less  soluble  in 
cold  water  and  almost  insoluble  in  ammonia  water,  while  the  other  is 
readily  soluble.    Treating  boiling  aqueous  solution  of  each  with  a 
solution  of  bichromate  of  potassium,  the  product  of  the  false  pareira 
did  not  show  any  signs  of  precipitation  until  it  had  stood  ten  to  fifteen 
minutes  after  becoming  cool,  while  berberina  formed  a  precipitate  before 
it  had  become  cool,  the  precipitates  in  both  cases  being  fine  needle-like 
crystals.     On  adding  a  drop  of  muriatic  acid  to  each  of  the  above  pre- 
cipitates, diffused  in  water  and  heating,  the  solution  remained  clear  after 
cooling,  while  berberina  threw  down  a  bulky  precipitate. 
Treating  cold  aqueous  solutions  of  each  with  a  solution  of  nitrate  of 
silver  in  hyposulphite  of  sodium,  the  pareira  alkaloid  was  not  precipi- 
tated, nor  was  the  clear  solution  changed  by  heating,  while  berberina 
threw  down  fine,  light-colored,  needle-like  crystals,  the  clear  solution 
also  being  unaffected  by  heat.    To  a  hot  alcoholic  solution  of  each  a 
