AAPJrTi,i873RM  }    Sulpho-Mohjbdate  of  Ammonia,  etc.  149 
2.  Its  solution  in  aqueous  alkalies  does  not  solidify  when  warmed. 
3.  It  is  not  precipitated  from  aqueous  solutions  by  acetate  or  sub- 
acetate  of  lead. 
4.  It  is  freely  soluble  in  water,  making  a  frothy  solution. 
5.  It  is  not  precipitated  from  aqueous  solutions  by  baryta  water. 
Summary. 
Ashes,  2J  per  cent.,  contain  aluminium,  magnesium,  potassium,  so- 
dium and  iron  trace ;  carbonic,  hydrochloric  and  phosphoric  acids. 
Testa,  17  percent.:  3  per  cent,  resin  ;  tannic  acid  (green  color  with 
persalts  of  iron).  Red  coloring  matter  ;  a  minute  crop  of  white  pris- 
matic crystals,  devoid  of  taste. 
Cotyledons  :  5  per  cent,  fixed  oil ;  a  tough  matter,  resembling  the 
glucoside  in  odor,  taste  and  reaction,  but  differing  from  it  by  its  solu- 
bility in  ether  and  chloroform,  and  by  its  not  being  readily  reduced 
to  powder. 
2J  per  cent,  cane  sugar  and  syrup.  Glucoside,  soluble  in  alcohol, 
water  and  alkaline  solutions ;  by  HC1  and  H20  converted  into  glucose 
and  another  principle  crystallizable  from  hot  alcohol,  having  an  acid 
reaction,  but  devoid  of  the  peculiar  odor  and  taste  of  the  glucoside. 
The  glucoside  is  the  active  principle,  poisonous,  symptoms  resembling 
those  of  strychnia  poisoning. 
A  minute  quantity  of  a  crystallizable  organic  acid  ;  green  coloring 
matter  ;  12  per  cent,  starch. 
Valerianic  acid,  by  decomposing  the  glucoside  resin,  and  glucoside 
by  H2S04. 
SULPHO-MOLYBDATE  OF  AMMONIA  AS  A  TEST  FOR  SOME 
ORGANIC  COMPOUNDS. 
By  J.  H.  Buckingham. 
Among  the  latest  tests  for  the  detection  of  morphia,  a  solution  of 
sulpho-molybdate  of  ammonia  will  be  found  the  most  delicate.  The 
beautiful  blue  color  which  it  gives  when  dropped  upon  that  alkaloid, 
is  indeed  a  striking  reaction.    It  will  give,  however,  a  characteristic 
color,  not  only  with  morphia,  but  also  with  many  other  organic  prin- 
ciples. 
One  of  the  peculiarities  which  I  noticed  while  making  my  experi- 
ments, was  that,  when  allowed  to  stand  for  any  length  of  time  in  con- 
tact with  the  compound,  the  solution  always  became  blue.  This  color 
was  light  or  dark,  according  to  whether  or  not  the  solution,  when  first 
