116 
CINCHONA  BARK  AND  ITS  ALKALOID. 
the  ethereal  and  aqueous  solutions  of  course  taste  less  bitter  in 
proportion  to  their  smaller  amount  of  alkaloid.  On  platinum 
foil  it  fuses  into  a  colorless  liquid,  which  evolves  fumes  smelling 
not  unpleasantly  like  oil  of  bitter  almonds  :  at  the  same  time  it 
becomes  brown,  ignites,  and  burns  with  a  smoky  flame,  without 
leaving  a  trace  of  residue.  By  trituration  it  furnishes  a  snow- 
white  electrical  powder.  The  alkaloid  loses  nothing  in  weight 
up  to  212°  F.,  and  even  to  its  melting-point  of  336°  to  338°  F. 
Its  solubility  is  as  follows  : — 
1  part  dissolves  in  398  parts  of  ether  of  sp.  gr.  0-740  at  61°-68°  F. 
•1  ...  88  parts  of  alcohol  of  sp.  gr.  0-833  at  61°-68°  F. 
1  ...  19  parts  of  alcohol  of  sp  gr.  0-833  at  boiling  heat. 
1  ...  3287  parts  of  water  at  GP-GS0  F. 
1  ...  596  parts  of  water  at  boiling  heat. 
The  new  alkaloid  behaves  as  follows  towards  reagents  : — 
Freshly  prepared  chlorine-water  dissolves  it  readily  without 
color  ;  liquid  ammonia,  gradually  dropped  into  this  solution,  pro- 
duces at  first  a  light,  flocculent,  grayish-white  precipitate,  which 
floats  upon  the  dingy  yellow  fluid,  but  disappears  with  the  great- 
est facility  by  the  addition  of  an  excess  of  ammonia,  whilst  the 
fluid  again  appears  clear-wine-yellow.  Concentrated  sulphuric 
acid  dissolves  it  rapidly ;  the  solution  is  colorless,  and  undergoes 
no  perceptible  alteration  by  being  gently  heated.  Concentrated 
nitric  acid  and  concentrated  muriatic  acid  behave  in  the  same 
way.  It  also  dissolves  with  the  greatest  facility  in  dilute  acids, 
and  saturates  them  completely.  The  solution  in  muriatic  acid 
was  prepared  by  adding  the  powdered  alkaloid  to  1  oz.  of  hot 
water  acidified  by  the  addition  of  5  drops  of  muriatic  acid  of 
spec.  grav.  1-13  until  the  last  portion  did  not  disappear.  It  did 
not  alter  either  litmus-  or  turmeric-paper,  and  behaved. towards 
some  reagents  in  the  following  manner  : — 
Caustic  alkalies  produced  white,  densely  flocculent  precipitates, 
which  rapidly  acquired  a  granular  crystalline  appearance.  Alka- 
line carbonates  behaved  in  the  same  way  ;  these  precipitates  dis- 
solved quietly  in  acids  after  washing,  so  that  they  were  free  from 
carbonic  acid.  Phosphate  of  soda  also  gave  a  white,  densely 
flocculent  precipitate,  which  quickly  became  granular  crystalline. 
Perchloride  of  mercury  gave  a  strong  white  turbidity,  which  re- 
mained finely  flocculent.    Perchloride  of  gold  gave  a  yellow  tur- 
