Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
May,  1891. 
Solatium  Carolinense. 
217 
solved  glucose  and  albumen,  besides  the  alkaloid  and  acid,  contained 
in  the  berries.  In  my  analysis  of  the  root  and  leaves,  the  fact  is 
pointed  out,  that  the  alcoholic  extract  of  both  root  and  leaves 
dissolves  almost  entirely  in  water  (Amer.  Jour.  Pharm.,  1890,  p. 
602  ;  1 89 1,  p.  65).  I  likewise  suggested  the  presence  of  an  organic 
acid  combined  with  the  alkaloid,  which  together,  caused  the  solu- 
bility in  water.  The  berries  contained  the  largest  percentage  of 
alkaloid  and  acid,  and  their  separation  was  accomplished  with  less 
difficulty  than  from  the  root  or  leaves. 
250  grams  of  fresh  and  bruised  berries  were  macerated  for  8  days 
Solanic  acid  ;  from  alcohol  extract,  aqueous  solution  acidified,  agitated  with 
ether  ;  X  480  diameters. 
in  officinal  alcohol,  the  tincture  distilled  in  vacuo  to  recover  the 
alcohol,  and  the  residue  taken  up  by  water  and  filtered. 
The  aqueous  solution,  when  made  alkaline  by  ammonium  hydrate, 
formed  a  crystalline  precipitate,  which  was  found  to  consist  of 
phosphate  of  calcium.  Now,  it  must  be  remembered  that  Mayer's 
reagent  will  not  precipitate  alkaloids  in  combination  with  organic 
acids.  If  Mayer's  reagent  be  added  to  the  aqueous  solution  of  the 
alcoholic  extract,  but  a  mere  cloudiness  will  be  observed.  On  the 
other  hand,  decomposing  the  natural  alkaloidal  salt  with  dilute 
HC1  or  H2S04  and  then  adding  Mayer's  reagent,  will  produce  an 
abundant  flocculent  precipitate.    To  separate  the  organic  acid,  the 
