306       Chlorinated  Alkalies —  Test  for  Morphia.    {  ku3^t  f8H^RM- 
rated  on  a  porcelain  plate  leaves  a  deep  red  ring.  On  the  addition 
of  ammonia,  or  any  other  strong  alkali,  the  solution  becomes  dark- 
brown. 
It  gives  a  distinct  orange  color  in  solution  of  one  grain  of  morphia 
in  five  thousand  of  water,  and  with  care  maybe  made  to  show  plainly 
in  solution  of  one  grain  in  ten  thousand.  Excess  of  the  chlorine 
decolorizes  these  solutions,  and  the  orange  color  cannot  be  restored. 
Excess  of  an  acid  decolorizes  them,  but  the  color  reappears  on  adding 
excess  of  an  alkali.  These  reactions  are  the  same  in  the  presence  of 
all  other  alkaloids  with  which  I  have  experimented. 
When  a  few  drops  of  chlorine  water  are  added  to  morphia  in  pow- 
der, and,  after  solution,  a  drop  or  two  of  ammonia,  beautiful  red  star- 
like spangles  will  form.  This  test  is  best  performed  on  a  porcelain 
plate  or  crucible  cover. 
Alkaline  solution  of  chlorine  also  gives  a  red  color  with  phloridzin, 
either  in  powder  or  solution,  and  this  is  decolorized  by  excess  and  by 
acids,  and  restored  the  same  as  morphia,  by  excess  of  alkali ;  but  as 
this  is  very  rarely  used  in  medicine,  it  seems  to  be  of  very  little  im- 
portance. In  powder,  it  is  colored  brown-black  by  strong  nitric  acid? 
by  which  behavior  it  is  readily  distinguished  from  morphia. 
Colchicia  gives  a  yellow  color  with  the  chlorinated  lime  solution, 
but  so  slight  that  it  is  of  little  importance. 
Aloin  gives  a  dark -red  color,  part  of  which  is  due  to  the  alkali; 
the  color  is  only  partially  destroyed  by  excess  of  an  acid. 
The  only  other  alkaloid  which  I  have  found  that  gives  a  similar 
reaction  with  chlorine  is  brucia. 
Any  solution  of  chlorine  added  to  an  acid  solution  of  brucia  gives 
a  bright- red  color.  Alkaline  solutions  of  chlorine  do  not  react  with 
the  powder  ;  but  if  a  drop  of  an  acid  be  first  added,  a  deep  red  color 
is  produced. 
Excess  of  chlorine  decolorizes  both>  and  the  color  cannot  be  re- 
stored. Strong  acids  and  alkalies  cause  no  changes ;  thereby  it  is 
readily  distinguished  from  morphia,  and  the  reaction  becomes  a  char- 
acteristic and  delicate  test  for  brucia. 
While  conducting  these  experiments,  I  have  had  access  to  Prof. 
Maisch's  and  other  extensive  collections  of  alkaloids  and  proximate 
principles,  and  have  found  all  others,  besides  those  enumerated  above, 
to  give  a  negative,  or  nearly  so,  reaction  with  the  alkaline  solution  of 
chlorine. 
