252 
On  Baptisia  Tlnctoria. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm 
I    June  1, 1871. 
These  experiments  were  carefully  performed,  and  each  one  re- 
peated several  times,  always  showing  the  same  result.  So  I  am  pre- 
pared to  say,  that  what  was  formerly  regarded  as  the  vegetable  alka- 
loid of  Baptisia  tinctoria  was,  in  reality,  a  salt  of  lime. 
Experiment  4:th.  To  a  concentrated  tincture  of  the  root  was  added 
sufficient  sulphuric  acid  to  cause  it  to  redden  litmus,  and  the  evapora- 
tion carried  on  until  a  small  bulk  was  obtained.  This  was  mixed 
with  an  equal  bulk  of  water  and  filtered.  The  filtrate,  on  standing, 
separated  into  two  layers,  a  heavy  oily  liquid  and  a  lighter,  more 
fluid  one.  To  the  lighter  liquid  was  added  a  large  quantity  of  water 
which  threw  out  the  remaining  resin,  and,  upon  filtration  gave  a  clear 
solution  not  affected  by  more  water.  Upon  testing  a  quantity  of 
this  with  Mayer's  test,  a  copious  precipitate  was  obtained.  To  another 
portion  chloroform  was  added,  shaken  together  and  allowed  to  sepa- 
rate. The  alkaloid  being  in  the  form  of  sulphate,  was  supposed  to 
be  insoluble  in  that  menstruum,  while  most  of  the  remaining  oil  and 
coloring  matter  was  removed.  After  removing  the  subsiding  liquid  I 
added,  first,  solution  of  potassa  in  excess,  then  chloroform,  shook  them 
together  and  again  separated  the  chloroform,  which,  on  spontaneous 
evaporation,  left  a  small  quantity  of  a  light  yellow  substance  behind. 
Upon  testing  the  lighter  portion  of  the  solution  with  Mayer's  test,  a 
copious  precipitate  was  still  obtained,  showing  that  more  of  the  alka- 
loid still  remained  than  was  taken  up  by  the  chloroform.  I  therefore 
precipitated  the  whole  of  it  by  an  excess  of  iodohydrargyrate  of  po- 
tassium. The  precipitate  was  collected,  suspended  in  water,  and  de- 
composed by  hydrosulphuric  acid,  which  threw  down  black  sulphide  of 
mercury,  and  left  the  alkaloid  as  an  iodide  in  solution.  This  solution 
was  concentrated,  and  carbonate  of  ammonia  added  in  slight  excess. 
It  was  then  shaken  with  chloroform,  which,  on  being  separated  and 
evaporated,  left  an  amorphous  mass  behind.  This  was  dissolved  in 
water  acidulated  with  hydrochloric  acid,  boiled  for  a  few  minutes  with 
purified  animal  charcoal  and  filtered.  Upon  concentrating  this  to 
one  third  its  bulk,  long  needle-like  crystals  were  formed.  The 
mother  liquor,  upon  being  further  concentrated,  yielded  more  crystals, 
and  by  evaporating  to  dryness  left  a  yellowish  crystalline  mass.  This 
I  thought  to  be  the  alkaloid,  but  by  igniting  on  platinum  foil,  a  large 
residue  was  left.  I  then  digested  the  whole*  of  it  in  alcohol,  filtered 
and  evaporated.  The  residue  was  of  a  yellowish  color,  amorphous, 
disagreeable  odor  and  extremely  nauseous  and  acrid  taste.  But  it  had 
