Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Aug.,  1880. 
Thalleioquin  Test. 
387 
part  in  the  reaction;  the  proportions  used  by  Brande^  were:  i  grain 
sulphate  of  quinia  in  100  grains  of  water,  200  drops  of  the  aqueous 
solution  of  chlorine,  recently  prepared,  and  10  or  20  drops  of  the  solu- 
tion of  ammonia.  This  color  is  stated  and  was  proven  by  experiment 
to  be  so  intense  that  it  can  be  diluted  with  twenty  thousand  parts  of 
water  and  it  will  still  retain  an  appreciable  green  tint.  The  propor- 
tions recommended  in  the  Pharmacographia  are  :  Solution  of  quinia,  or 
one  of  its  salts,  10  volumes,  mixed  with  i  volume  of  chlorine  water, 
and  then  i  drop  of  solution  of  ammonia  is  added  ;  in  solutions  contain- 
ing less  than  poVo  quinia  no  precipitate  is  formed.  The  last-men- 
tioned proportions  were  tried,  but  did  not  produce  a  perfectly  clear 
liquid.  The  method  of  performing  the  test  was  as  follows  :  the  alka- 
loidal  solution  was  first  poured  into  the  test-tube,  the  chlorine  water 
then  dropped  into  it,  care  being  taken  that  none  ran  along  on  the  side 
of  the  test-tube,  the  drop  of  ammonia  was  then  dropped  into  the  cen- 
tre of  the  liquid  ;  the  result  was  a  slight  reaction,  with  the  production 
of  white  vapors,  and  a  green  layer  on  the  top  of  the  liquid,  which  was 
then  shaken  up.  The  first  experiment  with  both  sulphate  of  quinia 
and  quinidia  solutions  caused  the  best  and  most  permanent  results, 
although  much  smaller  amounts  of  chlorine  water  and  ammonia  gave 
the  same  results,  as  may  be  seen  by  experiment  A  7  ;  the  color  is  not 
of  the  same  intensity,  becoming  lighter  as  the  alkaloidal  solution 
decreases  in  strength.  The  liquid  as  thus  obtained  is  of  a  beautiful 
emerald-green  color,  has  a  slight  somewhat  ammoniacal  odor ;  by 
standing,  an  amorphous  dark  green  substance  is  deposited,  which  is 
insoluble  in  ether,  chloroform  and  benzin,  but  soluble  in  absolute  alco- 
hol ;  when  heated  it  fuses  and  is  decomposed,  giving  ofF  white  vapors 
having  a  disagreeable  slightly  ammoniacal  odor.  The  thalleioquin 
solution  when  heated  first  darkens  in  color,  and  is  then  decomposed, 
becoming  dark  brown. 
The  experiments  which  now  follow  were  performed  in  order  to 
ascertain  the  effect  of  hydrochloric  acid  in  chlorine  water,  tables  C  and 
D  being  given  first  as  representing  the  most  natural  way  in  which  acid 
would  be  present  in  chlorine  water  (by  decomposition),  the  others  being 
given  to  show  the  amount  of  acid  which  would  prevent  or  modify  the 
test.  The  chlorine  water  used  in  tables  C  and  D  was  over  one  year 
old,  had  been  kept  in  a  dark  place,  in  an  amber-colored  bottle,  tightly 
'  "Amer.  Jour.  Phar.,"  1839,  p.  37. 
