294 
On  Lobelina. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Phar»w 
\    July  1, 1872. 
Four  troy-ounces  of  finely- powdered  seed  were  exhausted  with  al- 
cohol acidulated  with  acetic  acid,  evaporated  to  a  syrupy  consistence, 
triturated  with  magnesia,  and  four  fluid-ounces  of  water  gradually 
added  ;  and  after  frequent  agitation  for  several  hours,  the  liquid  was 
filtered,  and  the  filter  washed  with  a  small  quantity  of  water.  This 
solution  was  then  agitated  frequently  with  ether,  during  four  or  five 
hours,  and  the  ethereal  solution  decanted. 
The  residue  was  treated  in  the  same  manner,  with  two  succes- 
sive portions  of  ether,  and  the  ethereal  solutions,  mixed  and  evapo- 
rated spontaneously,  yielded  lobelina.  The  aqueous  solution  was 
found  still  to  have  an  alkaline  reaction  and  acrid  taste. 
It  was  treated  with  iodohydrargyrate  of  potassium,  which  produced 
a  yellowish-brown  precipitate.  This  was  washed  with  water  slightly 
acidulated,  dissolved  in  alcohol,  and  decomposed  by  sulphuretted  hy- 
drogen, which  precipitated  the  mercury,  and  left  the  hydriodate  of  lo- 
belina in  solution. 
The  whole  was  transferred  to  a  filter,  and  washed  with  alcohol. 
The  filtrate  had  a  beautiful  reddish-brown  color,  and  was  tested  with 
mucilage  of  starch  for  free  iodine  with  no  effect,  then  evaporated 
to  dryness  ;  the  residue,  treated  with  a  small  quantity  of  water  and 
filtered,  had  a  light  yellowish  color.  To  this  solution  was  added  ni- 
trate of  silver,  which  produced  a  yellowish  white  precipitate,  the  ni- 
trate of  lobelina  remaining  in  solution.  The  solution  filtered  and 
evaporated  spontaneously,  yielded  yellowish,  transparent,  granular 
crystals,  having  no  odor,  but  possessing  the  characteristic  acrid  taste 
of  the  base.  The  nitrate  of  lobelina,  by  exposure,  deliquesced,  and 
assumed  a  somewhat  darker  color. 
2.  A  portion  of  lobelina  in  a  watch  crystal  was  exposed  four  days. 
It  changed  to  a  resinous  consistence  and  darker  color.  In  this  state 
it  is  scarcely  soluble  in  water,  but  readily  dissolved  by  alcohol  and 
ether.    Cold  nitric  and  sulphuric  acids  had  no  effect. 
3.  Another  portion  of  lobelina,  which  had  been  exposed  four  days, 
was  dissolved  in  water,  and  a  few  drops  of  muriatic  acid  added  to  the 
solution.  This  produced  a  white  precipitate,  which,  by  heat,  changed 
to  a  brown  color. 
4.  An  aqueous  solution,  exposed  for  a  longer  time,  slowly  deposited 
a  white  sediment,  which,  after  the  decanting  of  the  water,  resumed  its 
brown  color. 
5.  A  portion  of  the  exposed  lobelina  was  boiled  with  diluted  sul- 
