A formulary for the preparation and medical administration of certain new remedies / translated from the French of M. Magendie, with annotations and additional articles by James Manby Gully, M.D.

  • Magendie, François, 1783-1855.
Date:
1836
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A formulary for the preparation and medical administration of certain new remedies / translated from the French of M. Magendie, with annotations and additional articles by James Manby Gully, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

    22/236 (page 6)
    Extract of nux vomica .... 2 scruples. Mucilage 1 ounce. Distilled water 6 ounces. Syrup of marsh mallows . . . . 1 ounce.—Mix. A table-spoonful every two hours.— Tr.~\ STRYCHNIA. The spirituous extract of nux vomica, nux vomica itself, St. Ignatius’s bean, the Javanese poison, (the upas tieute,)* and the snake-wood, all owe their vio- lent action on animals to two vegetable alkalies disco- vered by Pelletier and Caventou, one called strychnia, the other hrucia. These alkalies are found in combi- nation with a vegetable acid, the igazuric. (See Ann. de Chim. 1819.) Preparation of Strychnia. Dissolve the spirituous extract of nux vomica in water, and add solution of acetate of lead until all pre- cipitation ceases. On separating the superfluous mat- ter, the strychnia remains in solution with some colour- ing matter, and sometimes^an excess of acetate of lead, which is to be separated by a current of sulphuretted hydrogen ; then filter and boil with magnesia, which combines with the acetic acid and gives a preci- pitate of strychnia and brucia. Wash these in cold water, redissolve in alcohol in order to separate any ex- cess of magnesia, and by evaporation a mixture of strychnia, brucia, and colouring matter is obtained. Macerate the whole in a little weak alcohol, in which the brucia and colouring matter are easily soluble, while the strychnia remains in the shape of a powder, * This is different from the upas anthiar, causing death by teta- nus, whilst the anthiar is fatal by producing excessive vomiting. MM. Pelletier and Caventou have extracted a vegetable salifiable base from the last-named plant, which is highly poisonous, (Ann. de Chim. et de Phys. t. 26.)