ON  THE  CONSTITUTION  OF  QUININE. 
245 
sometimes  it  is  used  to  express  the  weight  of  equal  activity,  some 
times  to  denote  the  molecule  or  atom.  Thus,  the  equivalent  o 
phosphoric  acid  is  expressed  by  P05,  while  this  is  equal  to  3  equiv' 
of  sulphuric  acid,  and  thus  is  a  sign  of  3  equiv.  of  acid.  In  the 
same  manner  the  equivalent  of  oxide  of  iron  is  given  as  Fe2  03, 
and  this  quantity  takes  the  place  of  3  equiv.  of  potassa  or  similar 
oxides,  and  therefore  expresses  3  equiv.  of  base.  If  that  quantity 
which  may  replace  1  equiv.  of  potassa  (KO)  is  called  1  equiv.  of 
base,  the  question  arises  whether  the  same  must  be  expressed  by 
C20  H12  N02,  or  by  C40  H24  N2  04.  For  the  first  value  we  set  Ch, 
for  the  last  Ch',  then  the  composition  of  the  most  important  salts 
of  quinine  is  as  follows  : 
Ch  =  C20  H12  N02  Ch'  =  C40  H24  N2  04 
Ch+S03+HO  0h'+  2  (S03+HO) 
2Ch+SO„  HO  Ch'+S03,  HO 
Ch-f  II  CI  Ch'+2H  CI 
2Ch+H  CI  Ch'+H  CI 
Ch+H  Cl+Pt  Cl2  Ch'+2H  Cl+2Pt  Cl2 
2Ch+N05,  HO  Ch'+N05,  HO 
2Ch+N05,  AgO  Ch'+N05,  AgO 
In  inorganic  chemistry  (which  frequently  is  taken  to  be  the 
type  of  organic  chemistry)  no  combinations  are  known  which,  for 
1  equiv.  of  base,  contain  2  equiv.  of  chloride  of  platinum  ;  there- 
fore, most  chemists  call  1  equiv.  that  amount  of  an  organic  base 
which  unites  with  1  equiv.  of  chloride  of  platinum  to  form  a  double 
salt.  But  this  does  not  decide  whether  chloride  of  platinum  may 
not  combine  in  other  proportions  with  chlorides  and  muriates,  and 
some  chemists  do  believe  that  1  equiv.  of  base  can  unite  either 
with  1  equiv.  of  hydrochloric  acid  and  1  equiv.  of  chloride  of  pla- 
tinum, or  with  2  equiv.  of  each.  But  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  to 
be  remarked  as  favorable  for  the  second  formula,  that  the  salt 
Ch'  +  S03  HO  has  a  neutral,  and  the  salt  Ch'+2  (S03,  HO)  an  acid 
reaction.  If  the  former  was  a  basic  salt,  as  the  first  theory  teaches? 
it  ought  to  have  an  alkaline  reaction,  like  quinine, and  it  is  hard  to 
believe  that  the  neutral  salt  of  so  strong  a  base  should  have  an 
acid  reaction,  as  is  the  case  with  the  salt  C40  H9i  N2  04,  2(S03; 
HO). 
From  the  foregoing,  it  is  obvious  that  chemists  come  to  a  dif- 
