152 
ACONITIC  ACID  IN  DELPHINIUM  CONSOLIDA. 
0.2485  grammes  of  substance  gave  0.4185  grammes  of  chlo- 
ride of  silver. 
0.423  grammes  of  substance  gave  0.634  grammes  of  carbonic 
acid,  and  0.154  grammes  of  water. 
Calculated.  Found. 
,  A  k  ,  A  % 
c44  = 
264 
40.37    .  . 
.  40.265 
H26  = 
26 
3.97    .  . 
3.983 
Cl8  = 
284 
43.43    .  . 
.  43.094 
o10  = 
80 
12.23    .  . 
654 
100.00 
The  formula  of  the  chlorine  compound  is,  therefore,  C44  H26 
(\  o,„. 
If  the  action  of  the  chlorine  on  the  stearopten  be  continued 
longer  than  is  necessary  to  produce  the  crystalline  compound 
(which  is  usually  formed  in  from  two  to  three  hours),  it  begins 
to  be  decomposed,  being  converted  into  an  uncrystallizable  resin. 
Bromine  acts  readily  on  the  stearopten,  but  the  combination 
which  it  forms  with  it  is  not  crystallizable. 
When  the  stearopten  was  digested  with  nitric  acid  it  tempo- 
rarily assumed  a  deep  green  color,  and  was  changed  into  a  deep 
yellow  resinous  substance,  which  was  but  slowly  acted  upon  by 
nitric  acid ;  but  by  long-continued  digestion  in  nitric  acid  color- 
less crystals  were  produced,  which  were  not  oxalic  acid ;  but  the 
quantity  obtained  was  too  small  to  enable  me  to  submit  them  to 
further  examination. 
Hydrochloric  acid  has  no  action  upon  the  stearopten. 
The  stearopten  cannot  be  distilled  over  anhydrous  phosphoric 
acid  unchanged,  but  is  converted  into  a  green  substance  soluble 
in  alcohol,  and  precipitated  from  this  solution  by  water  in  the 
form  of  a  dark  green  thick  liquid,  having  an  acid  reaction,  and 
not  crystallizable  either  in  the  free  state  or  combined  with  pot- 
ash.— Pharm.  Jour.,  Dec.  1854. 
ACONITIC  ACID  IN  DELPHINIUM  CONSOLIDA. 
By  W.  Wicke. 
Aconitic  acid  has  been  found  in  Aconitum  napellus,  A.  stwr- 
kianum,  Equisetum  fluviatiley  and  E,  limosum  (and  at  first  called 
