CHEMICAL SCIENCE. 275 



stance is burnt, the inorganic principle is brought to the state of a 

 soluble compound within the cinder, and then extracted with water. 

 The process of carbonization or incinderation by means of sulphuric 

 acid for the discovery of the mineral poisons, is founded on these very 

 simple data. 



But if the substance which it is necessary to separate from animal 

 matters be combustible, or capable of essential modification by heat, 

 the course is not so clear. The following is the process proposed : 



To 100 parts of the substance to be examined, 12 parts of anhydrous 

 lime or baryta are to be added, and the whole pounded together in a 

 mortar. The mixture is then to be heated to 212 Fah., then pulver- 

 ized, either with a pestle, or with a special apparatus appropriated to 

 this operation, which is very essential ; the powder is to be treated 

 with boiling anhydrous alcohol three times, filtering the liquid after 

 cooling. This liquid as it leaves the filter is scarcely colored ; it only 

 contains the proximate principle or principles sought for with the fatty 

 or resinous matters. 



The alcohol is now slowly evaporated, and the dry residue treated 

 with ether to remove the fatty matters. If the principle be insoluble 

 in ether (morphine, strychnine, brucine,) it will be separated in the 

 fluid, and may be obtained by filtration or simple decantation. If it 

 be soluble in ether, the alcoholic residue or the etherial fluid must be 

 treated with a special solvent of the organic bases, such as the acetic 

 acid, precipitating the base afterwards by ammonia. 



To 100 grms. of animal matter the author added a single grain or 

 0-05 grm. of morphine, strychnine, and brucine ; and by operating in 

 the manner just described, succeeded in obtaining, in a state of abso- 

 lute purity, a ponderable quantity of each of those principles. Instead 

 of strychnine, morphine, and brucine, the author applied crude opium, 

 laudanum, decoction of nux vomica, and of false angostura bark ; and 

 in these cases also he was able to isolate the poisonous principles. He 

 also, in order to assure himself that his process was applicable to medi- 

 co-legal purposes, poisoned animals with the smallest effective doses of 

 the above-mentioned substances, when he was able to detect the poisons 

 in the matters contained in the stomach and intestines, and sometimes 

 even in organs to which they had been carried by absorption. 



In one experiment, he mixed 2 grs. (or 10 centigrms.) of morphine 

 with 100 grms. of flesh, leaving the substances to undergo putrefaction 

 for two months. At the end of this period he discovered several cen- 

 of morphine in the mass. Comptes Rendus. 



INFLUENCE OF POISONS UPON ANIMAL HEAT AS A CAUSE OF 



DEATH. 



Dr. Sequard, of Paris, has published some peculiar views respect- 

 ing his experiments with poisons, reducing animal heat. He says he 

 has seen death take place in a rabbit after a diminution of its heat of 

 only 22 of Fah., and he never observed any animal live after he 

 had diminished its temperature more than 44 Fah. Accordingly as 



