ACTION  OF  IODIC  ACID  UPON  THE  VEGETO-ALKALIES.  57 
THE  ACTION  OF  IODIC  ACID  UPON  THE  VEGETO-ALKALIES. 
(A  communication  made  byR.  H.  Brett,  Esq.,  Ph.  D.  to  the  Liverpool 
Chemists'  Associations,  May,  1854.) 
Dr.  Brett  said  his  attention  was  first  drawn  to  the  subject,  by 
endeavoring  to  find  out  some  test  which  should  readily  detect 
the  presence  of  quinidine  in  quinine ;  on  this  point  he  had  come 
to  the  conclusion  that  there  was  no  decisive  test,  but  knowing 
the  peculiar  action  of  iodic  acid  upon  morphia,  the  production 
of  a  brown  color  from  the  liberation  of  iodine,  he  thought  there 
might  also  be  some  reaction  with  quinine  or  any  of  the  other 
alkaloids.  Acting  upon  this  impression  he  had  made  a  number 
of  experiments,  which  had  resulted  in  showing  most  conclusively, 
he  believed,  that  the  reaction  of  iodic  acid  with  nitrogenized 
vegeto-alkalies,  was  such  as  to  distinguish  them  from  all  other 
organic  substances.  In  the  first  place,  he  said,  he  would  show 
its  action  upon  a  few  of  the  alkaloids,  and  afterwards,  its  action 
upon  other  azotized  and  non-azotized  substances,  from  both  the 
vegetable  and  animal  kingdoms,  when  a  very  marked  difference 
in  the  results  would  be  seen. 
The  doctor  then  placed  a  small  portion  of  quinine  in  a  capsule, 
and  added  about  an  equal  portion  of  iodic  acid,  with  a  few  drops 
of  water.  This  mixture,  on  being  gently  heated,  gave  rise  to  a 
series  of  distinct  explosions,  accompanied  by  an  evolution  of 
gas,  and  it  was  to  these  explosions  he  wished  to  draw  attention, 
for  no  other  substance  that  he  had  experimented  upon  would 
produce  them  except  the  alkaloids.  He  repeated  the  experiment 
several  times,  substituting  for  the  quinine,  the  alkaloids,  strychnia, 
morphia  and  narcotine,  and  in  each  case  with  the  same  results. 
He  then  showed  its  action  upon  other — both  azotized  and  non- 
azotized — substances,  not  alkaloids,  such  as  meconic  acid,  salicine, 
uric  acid,  gluten,  &c.  ;  but  there  was  no  explosive  action  or  the 
slightest  appearance  of  detonation,  merely  a  calm  liberation  of 
iodine  vapor. 
He  observed,  he  had  experimented  with  solutions  of  iodine 
itself,  but  without  any  result,  though  he  would  not  insist  upon 
this  with  much  force,  as  only  a  few  experiments  had  yet  been 
made ;  but  as  far  as  they  had  gone  no  explosive  action  had  been 
observed.    He  had  also  mixed  iodic  acid  with  ammonia,  but  with- 
