DEPORTMENT  OP  ALKALOIDS  WITH  REAGENTS,  ETC.  27 
in  its  preparation,  I  offer  the  following  as  a  modification  of  the 
officinal  process  : — 
Four  ounces  of  ginger,  (Jamaica,)  or  any  convenient  quantity, 
are  to  be  packed  in  a  suitable  percolator  ;  to  each  ounce  of  drug 
add  one  ounce  of  ether  ;  when  this  has  ceased  to  drop,  pour  on 
the  dregs  one  ounce  of  benzine  for  each  ounce  of  the  drug  ; 
when  percolation  has  ceased,  distil  the  percolate,  and  finish  the 
preparation  in  the  usual  way. 
The  resulting  oleo-resin  will  be  found  to  be  a  good  preparation 
in  every  respect,  and  this  without  the  use  of  any  alcohol  at  all. 
In  my  experiments  I  used  a  good  commercial  article  of  benzine, 
and  a  common  glycerine  of  sp.  gr.  1200.  They  can  both  be 
obtained  at  a  very  low  price.  By  their  use,  I  think  Query  No. 
14  can  be  satisfactorily  answered. — Proc.  Am.  Ph.  Assoc.,  1866. 
Philadelphia,  August  15th,  1866. 
• 
DEPORTMENT  OF  THE  MOST  IMPORTANT  MEDICINAL 
ALKALOIDS  WITH  REAGENTS,  AND  A  YSTEMATIC 
METHOD  OF  EFFECTING  THE  DETECTION  OF  THESE 
SUBSTANCES. 
(Continued  from  page  544,  Vol.  xxxviii.) 
(From  Prof.  C.  R.  Frezenius'  Manual  of  Qualitative  Analysis.) 
I.  Volatile  Alkaloids. 
The  volatile  alkaloids  are  fluid  at  the  common  temperature, 
and  may  be  volatilized  in  the  pure  state  as  well  as  when  mixed 
with  water.  They  are  accordingly  obtained  in  the  distillate  when 
their  salts  are  distilled  with  strong  fixed  bases  and  water.  Their 
vapors,  when  brought  in  contact  with  those  of  volatile  acids,  form 
a  white  cloud. 
1.  Nicotina,  or  Nicotine  (C10  H7  N). 
1.  Nicotina,  in  its  pure  state,  forms  a  colorless,  oily  liquid,  of 
1*048  sp.  gr.  ;  the  action  of  air  imparts  a  yellowish  or  brownish 
tint  to  it.  It  boils  at  482°  F.,  suffering,  however,  partial  de- 
composition in  the  process  ;  but,  when  heated  in  a  stream  of 
hydrogen  gas,  it  distils  over  unaltered,  between  212°  and  392° 
F.  It  is  miscible  in  all  proportions  with  water,  alcohol,  and 
ether. 
