49 2  Gnoscopina.  }AmScZw'" 
a  high  temperature.  It  forms  a  muriate  which  crystallizes  in  glassy 
prisms,  apparently  containing  water  of  crystallization,  which  is  lost  at 
a  moderate  heat.  A  solution  of  this  salt  gives  a  buff-colored  crystal- 
line precipitate  with  platino-chloride  of  potassium,  and  a  white  precip- 
itate with  iodide  of  mercury  and  potassium.  In  pure  sulphuric  acid, 
gnoscopina  dissolves  with  a  slightly  yellow  color,  which  becomes  at 
once  carmine-red  upon  the  addition  of  a  trace  of  nitric  acid,  and 
remains  so.  In  this  respect  gnoscopina  differs  from  rhoeadina,  which 
assumes  this  red  color  upon  the  addition  either  of  sulphuric  or  hydro- 
chloric acid  alone.  Gnoscopina  is  insoluble  either  in  aqueous  or  in 
spirituous  solutions  of  caustic  soda,  also  in  mineral  spirit,  and  in  fusel 
oil,  but  is  soluble  in  chloroform  and  bisulphide  of  carbon  and  slightly 
so  in  benzol. 
According  to  the  following  analyses,  the  formula  of  gnoscopina  is 
(a)  Weight  of  substance  taken,    0*2840  gram. 
H20  obtained,  =0*1455 
C02        "  =0-6565 
{b)  substance  taken,  0*3105 
H20  obtained,  =0*1562 
C02        "  =0*720 
(f)  substance  taken,  0*4563 
Volume  of  N  obtained,  16*2  cc. =0*01996  gr. 
Temp.,  9*o°C.  5  Barom  ,  755*7  mm. 
from  which  there  follows  : 
Calculated.  Found. 
a.               b.               c.  Medium. 
C2i            62*96          63*04          63*24    63*14 
^             5*56            569             5*59    5*64 
N2              4*32     ■           4*37  4-37 
On            27-16        2685 
A  specimen  of  pure  crystals  of  this  alkaloid  is  shown  in  our  case  at 
the  Paris  Exhibition. — Pha-\  'Jour,  and  Trans.  [Lond.],  Aug.  3,  1878. 
