190  Analysis  of  Sanguinaria  Seed.  {AmAp°rU^94ar,Q' 
This  solution  gave  a  red-brown  precipitate  with  gold  chloride  solu- 
tion, one  of  the  characteristic  reactions  of  sanguinarine. 
The  drug  was  next  treated  with  stronger  ether,  and  yielded  2-2375 
gms.  of  a  dark,  reddish-brown,  thick  extract.  This  was  shaken  with 
water  containing  one  per  cent,  of  hydrochloric  acid,  which  formed 
a  scarlet  red-colored  solution,  and  a  residue  of  the  same  color. 
This  acid  solution  was  then  rendered  alkaline  and  shaken  with  a 
mixture  of  ether  and  chloroform.  The  ethereal  solution  thus 
obtained  was  spontaneously  evaporated,  the  resulting  amorphous 
residue  taken  up  with  diluted  sulphuric  acid,  again  resumed  the 
red  color,  and  reacted  affirmatively  with  various  reagents  for 
alkaloids. 
The  red  residue  remaining  after  the  above  treatment,  was  allowed 
to  stand  for  twenty-four  hours  in  contact  with  95  per  cent,  alcohol. 
The  liquid  separated  and  the  residue  treated  in  like  manner  with 
absolute  alcohol. 
By  this  treatment  all  the  color  was  removed  from  the  remaining 
resin. 
These  alcoholic  liquids  were  mixed  and  evaporated  spontaneously. 
The  residue  was  taken  up  with  very  dilute  hydrochloric  acid,  and 
filtered,  ihere  separated  a  resinous  mass  with  a  small  portion  of 
the  coloring  principle  still  adhering. 
This  acid  solution,  rendered  alkaline,  shaken  out  with  ether  and 
chloroform  and  evaporated,  yielded  a  light  brown  varnish-like  sub- 
stance, similar  to  that  obtained  in  the  petroleum  ether  extract. 
From  the  above  treatment  it  was  found  that  the  alkaloids  would 
not  crystallize  from  an  ethereal  solution,  so  the  solid  mass  was  dis- 
solved in  absolute  alcohol,  filtered  and  spontaneously  evaporated, 
yielding  a  few  small  crystals. 
The  very  small  quantity  of  crystalline  alkaloid  obtained  was  not 
sufficient  to  carry  on  any  further  experiments,  so  a  special  assay  for 
alkaloids  was  made  from  twenty-five  grams  of  the  seed.  The 
crushed  seed  was  macerated  for  twenty-four  hours  in  one  hundred 
cubic  centimeters  of  modified  Prollius  fluid,  at  the  end  of  which  time 
the  liquid  was  separated  and  the  residue  well  washed  with  the  same 
fluid. 
This  extract  was  evaporated  to  nearly  constant  weight,  and  shaken 
with  a  mixture  of  sulphuric  acid  and  water  until  the  shakings  gave 
no  reaction  for  alkaloids. 
