512 
Enpatorin. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Oct.,  1892. 
for  several  hours.  The  excess  of  alcohol  was  distilled  off  and  the 
thick  residue  treated  with  water  acidulated  with  hydrochloric  acid. 
A  black  gummy  mass  separated,  which  was  removed  by  filtration, 
the  filtrate  neutralized  with  sodium  carbonate  and  extracted  with 
ether.  On  evaporation  of  the  ether  the  active  principle  was 
deposited,  either  as  a  yellow  resinous  mass  or  as  a  yellow  powder, 
which,  on  examination  under  the  microscope,  was  found  to  consist 
of  globular  masses  of  needle-shaped  crystals.  The  crystalline 
variety  was  analyzed  for  nitrogen,  but  was  found  to  contain  none. 
The  principle,  in  both  the  amorphous  and  crystalline  forms,  was 
insoluble  in  water,  in  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  and  in  concen- 
trated hydrochloric  acid,  but  was  soluble  in  even  dilute  nitric  acid 
with  a  light-brown  coloration.  The  nitric-acid  solution,  when 
allowed  to  evaporate  spontaneously  or  in  a  vacuum  over  lime,  crys- 
tallizes in  beautiful  prisms  and  six-sided  plates. 
An  aqueous  solution  of  these  crystals  injected  into  mice  killed 
them  in  a  few  hours.  The  crystals,  when  taken  into  the  mouth, 
have  first  an  acid  taste  from  the  nitric  acid  they  contain,  followed 
by  a  very  bitter  taste.   The  aqueous  solution  has  only  the  bitter  taste. 
Chemical  Characteristics. — The  crystals  of  the  nitrate  are  easily 
soluble  in  water  and  melt  at  102-1030.  The  principle  itself  does 
not  melt,  but  at  2500  suffers  partial  decomposition. 
The  solution  of  the  nitrate  was  tested  with  the  common  alkaloid 
reagents,  but  gave  the  following  reactions  only :  Phospho-molybdic 
acid,  a  green  color;  picric  acid,  a  few  needle-shaped  crystals  ;  auric 
chloride,  colored  slightly. 
The  principle  is  soluble  in  the  alkalies.  The  solution  in  sodium 
hydroxide  gave  the  following  reactions,  parallel  tests  being  made 
with  the  sodium  hydroxide  solution  alone:  Phospho-molybdic  acid, 
an  instantaneous  brilliant  green  coloration  which  soon  fades ;  auric 
chloride,  a  black  flocculent  precipitate ;  picric  acid,  a  deep-red 
coloration. 
The  ultimate  analysis  of  the  crystallized  nitrate  deprived  of  its 
water  of  crystallization  gave  the  following  figures  : 
C 
257  per  cent. 
26  2 
H 
3  1  per  cent. 
27 
64-2  per  cent. 
64- 1 
O 
N 
1-55  per  cent. 
i-6 
Or  calculating  the  N  as  HNOs,  we  have  HNOs 
