Am.  Joub.  Pharm.  > 
July  1,  1874.  S 
GephalantJi  us  Occidentalism 
311 
with  neutral  acetate  of  lead  and  filtered.  The  filtrate  yielded,  with 
basic  acetate  of  lead,  a  precipitate  as  the  first.  After  washing  both 
lead  precipitates  with  water,  they  were  treated  separately  with  alco- 
hol (sp.  gr.  835,  the  strength  used  throughout  the  experiments.) 
AmHS  showed  absence  of  lead  in  the  alcoholic  solution  from  neutral 
acetate  of  lead  precipitate  (No.  1),  but  that  from  the  basic  acetate  of 
lead  precipitate  (No.  2)  having  lead  present,  it  was  removed  by  H2S. 
Both  solutions  were  remarkably  fluorescent.  They  were  concentrated, 
filtered  and  set  aside  to  crystallize.  No.  1  deposited  at  first  a  yel- 
low resinous  matter,  and  after  standing  longer,  needle-shaped  crystals 
formed;  when  ignited  on  platinum  foil,  a  residue  was  left,  consisting 
of  calcium  and  potassium.  No.  2  at  first  deposited  white  opaque 
feathery  and  spherical  crystals,  afterward  beautiful  needle-shaped 
crystals  on  the  bottom  and  sides  of  the  vessel. 
Both  sets  of  crystals  were  slightly  soluble  in  water,  soluble  in 
ether.  A  small  portion  of  opaque  crystals  were  re-crystallized  in  a 
test  tube  and  gave  crystals  corresponding  to  the  others  ;  hence  they 
are  apparently  identical.  These  crystals  give  a  slight  acid  reaction 
and  had  a  leathery  taste.  On  igniting  part  of  second  product  on 
platinum  foil,  a  residue  was  left,  which  proved  to  be  potassium. 
Crystals  of  No.  1  were  dissolved  in  hot  water  slightly  acidulated 
with  HOI,  and  on  cooling  was  agitated  with  ether.  The  ethereal 
solution  on  separating  was  decanted  and  set  aside,  leaving  on  evap- 
orating, needles,  which  burned  without  residue. 
With  the  crystals  of  No.  2  the  same  result  was  effected.  From 
the  appearance  of  these  two  sets  of  crystals  and  the  decided  fluores- 
cence produced  by  them  when  in  solution,  and  especially  on  the 
addition  of  alkalies,  they  were  considered  identical  and  the  fluores- 
cent principle  of  the  drug.  The  effects  of  this  principle  were  noticed 
to  some  extent  in  most  every  solution  throughout  these  experiments. 
The  following  results  were  obtained  with  the  crystalline  body  : 
In  an  aqueous  solution,  alkalies  intensify  the  fluorescence  ;  acids 
destroy  the  fluorescence,  but  it  is  restored  on  the  addition  of  an  alkali. 
It  dissolves  more  readily  in  dilute  acids  and  alkaline  solutions  than 
in  water  alone. 
An  alkaline  solution  is  not  completely  decolorized  by  acids. 
Alkaline  solutions  are  blue  by  reflected  and  vellow  by  transmitted 
light. 
On  addition  of  metallic  salts  to  an  aqueous  solution,  no  precipitate 
is  formed,  except  with  basic  acetate  of  lead,  which  is  yellow. 
