Hi Marybeth,
Gentian purple is a complex organic compound, methylrosaniline chloride.  The aqueous solution is an intense purple, but the dried powder is dark green and the granules are green with a metallic luster.  If you have green particles, that might suggest gentian purple, which was used as an antiseptic and anti-helmintic (anti-worm medicine).  It would probably be hard to find a specific chemical test for gential violet.  If I was convinced that it is a likely ingredient on the outside of your bottles and wanted to confirm it by a chemical test, I would check with a college/university chemistry dept. and ask for the name of the supply house where they purchase the stain, and then contact the manufacturer.
Allen Vegotsky
 
-----Original Message-----
>From: Marybeth Tomka <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Jun 27, 2012 4:33 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: bottles for gentian violet solutions
>
>Hey Folks,
>
>We are working on cataloguing materials from a privy on the edge of the
>red light district in San Antonio, Texas.  We have a small purple bottle
>that stains our hands when touched.  The bottle is only missing the neck
>and lip, has turned completely purple and  there is still some dried
>material in it.  I was hoping someone out there would know what color
>bottles they would have used for this material and if the bottles would
>have discolored over time.  Also, does anyone know a test we can perform
>to find out if this is really gentian violet.  
>
>Thanks in advance.
>
>Marybeth 
>
>Marybeth S.F. Tomka, M.A. 
>Laboratory Director and Curator 
>Center for Archaeological Research 
>The University of Texas at San Antonio 
>State Certified Curatorial Repository 
>One UTSA Circle 
>San Antonio, Texas 78249 
>(210) 458-7822 
>(210) 458-4397 Fax 
>http://car.utsa.edu/ 
>. . . herding cats in a forest of catnip . . .