Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
Nov..  1892.  j 
Notes  on  Solanaceous  Bases. 
589 
be  quite  pure.  It  was  prepared  from  the  sulphate  in  the  same  way  as  atropine, 
and  after  evaporating  the  chloroform  solution  it  remained  in  the  form  of  deli- 
cate needles,  melting  at  io8°"5.  A  solution  in  absolute  alcohol  gave  for  [a]D  — 
2o°'3  when  p  =  3*22  and  t  =  150.  Ladenburg1  found  —  i4°'5.  Will2  —  2i0,68. 
Hammerschmidt  states3  that  a  variation  in  the  strength  of  the  alcoholic  solu- 
tion, from  1  to  12,  has  no  influence  upon  the  rotary  power  of  hyoscyamine. 
Analysis  confirmed  the  formula  C17H23N03. 
The  neutral  sulphate  (C17H23N08)2S04H2  +  2H20  as  obtained  from 
Trommsdorff  on  several  occasions,  was  in  the  form  of  delicate  needles,  which 
became  dull  at  ioo°,  owing  to  loss  of  water,  and  melted  at  2010.  The  salt  dis- 
solves readily  in  water  and  in  hot  alcohol,  and  is  precipitated  from  the  latter 
solution  as  small  concentrically  grouped  needles.  It  is  insoluble  in  ether,  but 
slightly  soluble  in  hot  acetone,  separating  in  small  white  needles  on  cooling 
the  solution.    The  anhydrous  salt  gave  for  [a]D — 28°*6  when  p  =  2  and 
The  platinum  salt  (C1 7H23N03)2P1C16H2,  obtained  by  mixing  a  solution  of 
the  sulphate  with  platinum  chloride  and  evaporating  slowly,  crystallizes  in 
fine  orange  prisms  ;  it  is  anhydrous  and  melts  at  2060,  as  already  stated  by 
E.  Schmidt. 
The  gold  salt  C: 7H23N03, AuCl4H,  obtained  in  a  similar  way,  from  a  hot 
solution,  forms  fine  brilliant  laminae,  which  retain  their  lustre  in  the  air  and 
melt  at  1590.  Will  gives  the  melting  point  as  1620,  while  other  chemists  have 
found  it  to  be  from  158°  to  1600. 
The  neutral  oxalate  (C1 7H23N03)2C204H2,  obtained  in  the  same  way  as  the 
atropine  salt,  crystallizes  as  long  stout  prisms.  The  salt  is  anhydrous  and 
melts  at  1760.  It  dissolves  in  absolute  alcohol  rather  more  readily  than  the 
atropine  salt,  but  also  separates  in  granular  masses. 
(3)  Atropinum  NaturaIwE. — Under  this  name  is  understood,  in  commerce, 
the  crystalline  base  obtained  direct  from  belladonna  root.  The  neutral  sul- 
phate made  from  this  preparation  is  met  with  as  Atropin.  sulphur,  purissimum, 
and  most  of  the  atropine  sulphate  of  commerce  consists  of  this  article,  which, 
according  to  the  mode  of  preparation,  contains  sometimes  the  one  and  some- 
times the  other  of  the  two  previously-mentioned  bases  in  preponderating 
amount. 
For  the  purpose  of  comparison  with  the  foregoing  data  the  results  obtained 
in  the  examination  of  four  samples  of  the  sulphate  from  different  sources  are 
given  below.  The  salt  is  scarcely  soluble  in  hot  acetone,  but  readily  soluble 
in  hot  absolute  alcohol,  from  which  it  was  thrown  down,  after  cooling  in  crys- 
talline masses  consisting  of  minute  needles.  Analysis  showed  that  its  compo- 
sition was  the  same  as  that  of  pure  atropine  sulphate.  One  sample  was  found 
to  give  for  [a]D  —  22°'3  when  p  —  2  (anhydrous)  and  t  —  150.  The  base  pre- 
pared in  the  way  already  described  crystallized  in  delicate  needles  and  it 
melted  at  1090.  A  solution  of  the  base  in  absolute  alcohol  gave  for  [a]D  — 
i6°*2  when  p  —  2-472  and  t  —  150. 
The  neutral  oxalate  was  prepared  as  above  described,  and  mostly  resembled 
1  Annalen,  206,  p.  274. 
~  Berichte,  21,  p.  1722. 
3  Ibid.,  21,  p.  2784. 
