ACTION OF ACIDS ON QUINIA. 
213 
the blue shade only occurs when the acid is very much dilut- 
ed and added drop by drop. 
With Cinchonia. — The tint obtained is of a somewhat 
orange red, and in twelve hours there is a brownish precipitate. 
With Morphia. — On pouring chlorine into a diluted solution 
of a salt of morphia, this solution soon becomes of a somewhat 
orange yellow; ammonia gives a greater intensity to it, and 
the cautious addition of an acid only renders it lighter, but 
does not destroy it. 
With Narcotina. — This base is not acted upon by these 
modes of reaction. 
With Strychnia. — The saline solution on the addition of 
chlorine, becomes of a milky white; ammonia causes a preci- 
pitate which gradually disappears, and the liquid also remains 
milky on the cautious addition of an acid. 
With Brucia. — This base affords the same results. 
Thus we have some new characteristics of the vegetable al- 
kalies in addition to those already known, which may serve 
to distinguish these substances from each other, when dissolv- 
ed in alcohol or ether, besides the differences of their crystalli- 
zation, their physical properties, their solubility, their action 
on the animal economy, &c. &c. 
The different colours produced by re-agents on the above 
alkalies are: 
1. Quinia, dissolved in the saline state, treated with liquid 
chlorine, and then with ammonia in slight excess, assumes a 
beautiful emerald green colour, which changes to white or 
violet on being saturated with a diluted acid. 
2. Cinchonia, under the same treatment, becomes of a red- 
dish and somewhat orange colour. 
3. Strychnia becomes of a milky white. 
4. Morphia, when treated with the muriate of the peroxide 
of iron, assumes a beautiful blue colour. 
5. Vcratria, treated with sulphuric acid becomes of a rich 
violet red. 
6. Brucia, treated with protochloride of tin assumes a vio- 
let tint of various degrees of intensity. 
