ACTION OF NITRIC ACID UPON BRUCINE. 115 
than water, and which possessed the odour of nitrous ether. 
The Uquid was rectified at a temperature which did not 
exceed 50°, upon which it was submitted to analysis. The 
analysis afforded 29 per cent, carbon and 6 per cent, hy- 
drogen ; nitrous ether contains 32 per cent. C and 6.6 H. 
Notwithstanding the great difference of 3 per cent, in the 
amount of carbon, these results nevertheless, in Laurent's 
opinion, justify the conclusion that the gas evolved in the 
action of nitric acid upon brucine, at the ordinary tempera- 
ture, is nitrous ether. 
When the action of the nitric acid at the ordinary tem- 
perature is terminated, the residue is an orange mass ; and 
Laurent states that he succeeded in crystallizing it. This 
substance, which Laurent calls cacotheline, gave on 
analysis (the results are not enumerated) numbers which 
led to the formula C^^H^^N^ 0'^^. When 3 equivs. nitric 
acid are added to 1 equiv. brucine, and we subtract 1 equiv. 
nitrous ether and 2 equivs. water, the formula of cacothe- 
line remains. 
The great difference in the composition of the volatile 
product from that of nitrous ether rendered a furl^f^ier ex- 
amination desirable. To obtain the liberated gas, fused 
brucine was mixed in a small retort with nitric acid of 1.4 
spec. [grav. in the cold; a violent disengagement of gas 
resulted, with evolution of heat ; red vapours appeared, but 
in very minute quantity. The gas was first passed through 
a tube two feet long, filled with hydrate of lime, and then 
through one of the same length containing chloride of cal- 
cium. The gas burnt with a green flame, coloured a solu- 
tion of iron immediately black, and was absorbed with 
remarkable ease by concentrated sulphuric acid; the sul- 
phuric acid gradually assumes a beautiful blue colour, 
which after a time passes into a reddish one. 
When a few drops of water were added to the acid, a 
violent evolution of gas immediately resulted, and red 
vapours made their appearance, accompanied by the odour 
