296 
ON  THE  SEEDS  OF   STRYCHNOS  IGNATIA. 
plant,  but  in  a  much  smaller  amount  than  in  the  Nux  vomica, 
while  the  strychnia  predominates  in  the  Ignatia  amara.  The 
presence  of  brucia  is  readily  recognised  by  nitric  acid  producing 
the  deep  red  color,  with  a  decoction  of  the  beans. 
Igasurie  Acid. — This  acid,  which  is  by  some  chemists  called 
strychnic  acid,  exists  in  the  beans  in  combination  with  strychnia 
and  brucia  in  the  form  of  an  igasurate  of  these  alkaloids.  The 
following  process  was  employed  for  obtaining  it : 
A  quantity  of  the  contused  beans  were  macerated,  and  then 
treated  with  successive  portions  of  cold  water,  until  their  bitter- 
ness was  completely  exhausted.  The  solutions  were  then  care- 
fully evaporated  to  the  consistence  of  a  syrup,  and  the  gum  pre- 
cipitated by  means  of  alcohol ;  this  alcoholic  solution  was  filtered 
and  evaporated  by  the  aid  of  a  water  bath  to  the  consistence  of 
an  extract.  This  extract,  which  consisted  principally  of  igasurate 
of  strychnia,  was  dissolved  in  cold  water,  and  treated  with  an 
excess  of  the  acetate  of  lead,  and  the  igasurate  of  that  oxide 
allowed  to  subside.  The  precipitate  was  next  washed  and  placed 
in  water,  and  decomposed  by  a  current  of  sulphuretted  hydrogen. 
The  solution  of  igasurie  acid  was  then  separated  from  the  sul- 
phuret  of  lead  by  filtration  ;  being  still  impure,  it  was  digested 
with  ivory  black,  and  again  filtered,  when  it  was  carefully  heated 
and  allowed  to  crystallize. 
From  seven  hundred  and  twenty  grains  of  the  beans,  treated 
in  the  manner  above  described,  I  obtained  eight  grains  of  pure 
igasurie  acid.  It  crystallizes  very  rapidly  when  placed  in  a 
warm  atmosphere,  in  long  acicular  crystals,  of  a  white  color, 
having  an  acid  taste,  and  an  acid  reaction,  producing  with  a 
neutral  solution  of  the  sulphate  of  copper,  a  beautiful  light  green 
precipitate,  a  characteristic  so  peculiar  to  this  acid.  This  acid 
by  an  increase  of  heat  is  decomposed,  being  converted  into  a 
dark  brown  substance. 
In  consequence  of  the  small  amount  obtained,  I  was  unable  to 
make  any  further  experiments. 
Volatile  Principle. — By  submitting  a  quantity  of  the  contused 
beans,  after  two  days  maceration  to  distillation,  a  clear  trans- 
parent liquid  was  obtained,  which  was  devoid  of  taste,  but  having 
a  strong  odor,  very  analogous  to  that  of  the  beans.  This  upon 
standing  deposited  a  white  flocculent  precipitate,  and  the  odor 
