Hot water
will now dissolve out _picrotoxin_, _colchicin_, and _digitalin_, but
not cantharidin. (4) The remaining acid watery liquid, holding the other
alkaloids in solution or suspension, is made strongly alkaline with
soda, mixed with four or five times its bulk of ether, chloroform, or
benzole, briskly shaken, and left to rest. The ether floats on the
surface, holding the alkaloids, except morphine, in solution. (5) A part
of this ethereal solution is poured into a watch-glass and allowed to
evaporate. If the alkaloid is volatile, oily streaks appear on the
glass; if not volatile, crystalline traces will be visible. If a
volatile alkaloid, add a few pieces of calcium chloride to ethereal
solution to absorb the water; draw off the ethereal solution with a
pipette, allow it to evaporate, and test the residue for the alkaloids,
conine and nicotine.
If a fixed alkaloid, treat the acid solution with soda or potash and
ether, evaporate ethereal solution after separation, when the solid
alkaloid will be left in an impure state. To purify it, add a small
quantity of dilute sulphuric acid, and, after evaporating to
three-quarters of its bulk, add a saturated solution of carbonate of
potash or soda.
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