502  Ammonium  Selenite  as  a  Reagent.    {Am- o°Z'im&1™' 
production  is  with  the  same  people  in  India.  It  all  comes  to  us 
from  British  territory,  after  having  paid  double  tribute  to  English 
purses.  Forced  upon  the  Chinese  in  China,  the  extension  of  its 
use  to  this  country  forms  a  natural,  although,  possibly,  unforeseen 
part  of  the  mercantile  propaganda  of  the  ruling  power  in  the 
East. 
AMMONIUM  SELENITE  AS  A  REAGENT  FOR  THE 
DETECTION  OF  THE  ALKALOIDS. 
Lafon  called  attention  to  (see  Amer.  Jour.  Phar.,  1886,  p.  250) 
ammonium  sulphoselenite  as  a  reagent  for  morphine  and  codeine. 
He  prepared  it  by  dissolving  1  gm.  ammonium  selenite  in  2C  cc.  con- 
centrated sulphuric  acid.  The  author  has  studied  the  reagent 
further  in  its  reactions  with  other  alkaloids,  placing  small  portions 
of  the  alkaloids  in  his  experiments  upon  watch  glasses  set  upon  white 
paper.    The  following  is  the  table  he  has  prepared  : 
Atropine.    No  coloration. 
Aconitine.    No  immediate  coloration  ;  after  20  minutes,  a  very  slight  rose-color. 
Berberine.  Greenish  yellow,  becoming  successively  very  brown  rose  at  the 
margins  and  violet  in  the  middle  ;  half  an  hour  afterwards  entirely  vinous 
red,  which  lasts  for  three  hours. 
Brucine.  Reddish  or  rose  color,  becoming  pale  orange  ;  half  an  hour  after,  an 
amber  color,  and  no  deposit. 
Caffeine.  No  distinct  coloration.  At  end  of  three  hours,  the  liquid  was  red- 
dish, and  there  appeared  a  slight  deposit. 
Cinchonine.  Nothing. 
Cinchonidine.  Nothing. 
Cocaine.    After  half  an  hour,  no  decided  coloration  or  precipitate.    After  three 
hours  the  same  reaction  as  caffeine. 
Curarine.    Slight  violet  coloration  :  after  some  time  reddish.  "  No  red  deposit 
at  the  end  of  three  hours. 
Delphine.    Slightly  reddish  coloration,  passing  into  a  violet  red.    No  ppt.  at 
the  end  of  three  hours. 
Digitalin.    No  immediate  color.    Yellowish  after  half  an  hour.    After  three 
hours  a  reddish  deposit. 
Eserine.    Lemon  yellow  color,  turning  to  orange.    Three  hours  afterwards  the 
color  was  paler. 
Morphine.    Bright  greenish  blue  ;  half  an  hour  after  maroon  yellow  and  no 
deposit.    After  three  hours,  the  liquid  maroon  brown,  no  red  deposit. 
Narcotine.    Bluish  color,  becoming  violet  and  then  reddish.    After  half  an 
hour  a  fine  reddish  color  and  no  ppt.  After  three  hours  a  small  red  deposit. 
Narceine.    Yellow-green  color,  becoming  brownish,  and  after  half  an  hour 
reddish.    Afterwards  a  red  deposit,  which  is  very  distinct  in  two  or  three 
hours. 
