45  2  Jervia—Its  History,  etc,  {'^""•Jct^isy^s:'"' 
soluble  in  dilute  alcohol  and  in  ether.  The  acetate  and  phosphate  are 
soluble  in  water ;  the  sulphate,  muriate  and  nitrate  are  sparingly 
soluble. 
Caustic  alkalies  precipitate  jervia  from  its  solution  in  acetic  acid  ;  the 
precipitate  is  insoluble  in  an  excess  of  the  precipitant.  Under  the 
microscope  the  precipitated  alkaloid  at  first  appears  amorphous,  after 
standing  twenty-four  hours  it  shows  a  disposition  towards  structural 
arrangement,  but  no  distinct  crystalline  formation  is  observable. 
Alkaline  carbonates  do  not  precipitate  jervia  from  a  weak  acid  solu- 
tion of  the  acetate  in  the  cold,  when  added  to  slight  alkaline  reaction. 
The  addition  of  more  alkaline  carbonate,  or  heating  the  solution,  de- 
termines the  precipitation ;  the  precipitate  is  sparingly  or  not  at  all 
soluble  in  excess  of  the  precipitant.  When  a  cold  acid  solution  of 
acetate  of  jervia  is  carefully  neutralized  with  carbonate  of  potassium  so 
as  to  produce  no  immediate  precipitation,  then  allowed  co  stand  m  a 
warm  place,  precipitation  occurs  as  the  carbonic  acid  escapes ;  and  at 
the  end  of  twelve  hours  the  precipitated  alkaloid  shows,  under  the 
microscope,  round,  dumb-bell-shaped  and  stellate  arrangements,  throw- 
ing out  prismatic  crystals  ;  some  distinct  forms  of  jervia  crystals  are  also 
seen. 
Alkaline  bicarbonates  react  with  jervia  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
neutral  carbonates.  The  presence  of  a  large  amount  of  free  carbonic 
acid  from  the  bicarbonates,  tends  to  hold  the  alkaloid  more  completely 
in  solution  after  alkaline  reaction  is  reached.  At  the  end  of  twelve 
hours  precipitation  is  effected.  Under  the  microscope  a  more  advanced 
crystalline  arrangement  is  seen  than  occurs  when  the  neutral  carbonates 
are  used  as  the  precipitant. 
Sulphuric^  nitric  and  hydrochloric  acids^  as  also  the  neutral  salts  of 
these  acids,  precipitate  jervia  from  its  solution  in  acetic  acid. 
With  sulphuric  acid  and  the  sulphates,  the  reaction  takes  place  slowly. 
With  hydrochloric  acid  2iY\A  the  r^/or/V^'j,  the  precipitation  is  more  prompt,, 
and  is  accelerated  by  vigorous  stirring  of  the  liquid  in  the  test  tube  with 
a  glass  rod.  When  the  solution  is  weak,  white  streaks  will  appear  after 
some  time  where  the  rod  has  touched  the  tube. 
With  nitric  acid  and  nitrates  the  precipitation  is  immediate.  The  pre- 
cipitate formed  with  nitrate  of  potassium  is  so  insoluble  in  an  excess  of  the 
potassium  salt,  that  the  mother  water  is  scarcely  troubled  by  after  addition 
of  ammonia  water. 
The  insolubility  of  nitrate  of  jervia  in  a  solution  of  nitrate  of 
