ON  THE  COLOR-TESTS  OF  STRYCHNIA,  ETC.  233 
necessary  to  employ  heat ;  acetic  acid,  mixed  with  an  equal 
measure  of  cold  water,  being  amply  sufficient  for  the  extraction 
of  alkaloids  from  an  organic  mass. 
JEJxpt.  6.  The  third  portion  was  macerated,  like  the  preced- 
ing, for  twelve  hours,  in  acetic  acid  diluted,  and  then  pressed 
and  filtered.  The  resulting  liquid  was  placed  in  a  capsule  be- 
fore the  register  of  an  ordinary  house-furnace,  and  was  evapo- 
rated to  a  syrupy  consistence  by  the  warm  air  passing  over  its 
surface.  To  this,  the  chloroform  and  the  solution  of  caustic 
potassa,  in  equal  measures,  were  applied,  and  all  well  mixed. 
The  separated  chloroform  yielded  a  deposit  which  was  proved  to 
be  strychnia  by  the  test-agents. 
By  this  experiment,  we  learn  that  a  solution  containing  both 
alkaloids  in  contact  with  organic  matters  may  be  evaporated, 
by  a  moderate  heat,  almost  to  a  solid  consistence,  without  their 
decomposition. 
Expt.  7.  The  fourth  portion  was  set  aside  for  twelve  days  in 
a  room  having  a  temperature  of  68°  to  70°.  At  the  expiration 
of  this  period,  the  mass  had  become  sour  and  offensive,  and  was 
spotted  with  crusts  of  mould.  It  was  then  macerated  for  twelve 
hours  in  a  mixture  of  f.^ss  of  acetic  acid,  and  f.gjss  of  water. 
After  which  it  was  strained,  filtered,  and  evaporated,  like  the 
preceding,  to  the  consistence  of  syrup,  by  the  passage  of  a  cur- 
rent of  warm  air  over  the  surface.  As  the  resultant  liquid  was 
intensely  sour  as  well  as  bitter,  I  added  two  measures  of  the 
caustic  solution  and  one  of  chloroform,  and  agitated  the  mixture 
as  in  former  cases.  When  the  chloroform  was  separated,  and 
a  part  of  it  evaporated  in  a  capsule,  the  most  beautiful  and  dis- 
tinctive colors  appeared  after  the  employment  of  the  proper 
tests. 
This  experiment  was  instituted  for  the  purpose  of  ascertain- 
ing whether  strychnia  is  liable  to  undergo  any  change  in  the 
presence  of  organic  matter  by  the  lapse  of  time,  even  where  that 
matter  has  fermented  and  exhibited  evidences  of  incipient  de- 
composition. The  result  affords  a  strong  inference  that  it  could 
be  detected  in  the  contents  of  the  stomach  after  a  body  had  been 
deposited  several  days  in  the  grave. 
I  carried  this  experiment  a  step  further  with  a  view  of  deter- 
mining whether  morphia  could  also  be  regained  from  an  organic 
