Report on strychnia : its physiological properties and chemical detection / by Lewis H. Steiner.

  • Steiner, Lewis H. (Lewis Henry), 1827-1892.
Date:
1856
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on strychnia : its physiological properties and chemical detection / by Lewis H. Steiner. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    Note.—The following notice of the action of the characteristic tests for strychnia, on that substance and its associate, brucia, is extracted from a highly interesting paper on the subject of nux vomica and its constituents, by Dr. Hirzel, of Leipzig. | BRUCIA. Rubbed with sulphuric acid and some of the binoxide of lead or mercury, there is formed a brown, amorphous substance, soluble in alcohol and of a bitter taste ; and a blackish red substance insoluble in alcohol. (Marchand.) STRYCHNIA. When rubbed with sulphuric acid containing one per cent, of nitric acid, and a small quantity of the binoxide of lead, or the binoxide of manganese, it first assumes a beautiful blue, then a violet, a red, and finally a yellow color. This is a reaction capable of detecting l-1000th of a grain. {Marchand.) With sulphuric acid to which a few drops of a concentrated solution of bi- chromate of potassa has been added, it gives the series of colors just mentioned, but in a still more distinct manner. {Otto, Riegel.) Diluted sulphuric acid, added to a mixture of chlorate of potassa and strychnia, and then warmed, gives on evaporation, a peculiar crystallizable acid—Strychnic acid. (Rousseau.) Dr. Day's Test.—The suspected powder is moistened with one drop of concentrated sulphuric acid, and then a drop of ferrocya- nide of potassium is added, which will produce an intense violet, though there should be only l-1000th of a grain present. This test is not interfered with as much as some others by the organic matter present. A solution of brucia in sulphuric acid tolerably concentrated, mixed with a few drops of a solution of bichromate of potassa, becomes a pistachio-green, an active disengagement of gas taking place at the same time.