23-3 
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS.—Sinalbin, C,,H,.N,S,O,,. or Sulpho-sinapisin, 
This peculiar compound body, determined by Hill, may be obtained from the seed- 
cake, after removal of the fat oil, by boiling the cake in alcohol. Sinalbin results 
as clear, colorless, united, acicular crystals, fusing at 1 30° (266° F.), soluble in 
water and slightly in alcohol. In the presence of water and myrosin, this body 
breaks down into its components as follows: 
Sinalbin = Sulpho-cyanate Acrino} -++ Sulphate of Sinapine + Sugar, 
C,,H,,N,S,0,, = C,H,NSO + C,,H,,NSO, -+ Cit. 
The first of these resultants is proven to be the vesicating principle of the 
seed, though it does not pre-exist in them while dry. 
Sinapine, C,,H,,NO,.—This volatile alkaloid too readily decomposes to be 
isolated except as a sulpho-cyanide; when heated with baryta water it breaks 
down as follows: 
Sinapine. Water. Sinapic Acid — —_ Choline.* 
C,,H,,NO, + (HO), a C,,H,,0, zi C,H,,NO,, 
Oil of Mustard (mixed).— This yellow, fixed, fat oil, obtainable by pressure 
from the seed-meal, has a sp. gr. of -917-.920, thickens at -12° (10,4° F,), is not 
drying, and contains glyceroles of Erucic,+ Sinapoleic,t and Behenic Acids. § 
This oil is used largely to adulterate olive oil, as it has a great power of resisting 
rancidity. - 
Myrosin.—This emulsion-like body is obtained from the seeds of this species 
by treating them with water, evaporating the menstruum at 40° (104° F.) toa 
syrup, and precipitating with alcohol. The precipitate, dried by gentle heat, results 
_as impure myrosin, which has not yet been isolated from the albumen that is inti- 
_ mately mixed with it. | , | aba 3 
: PHYSIOLOGICAL AOTION.—The essential oil of mustard (Sinalbin ?) is a 
virulent, irritant poison, causing, when ingested, severe burning, followed by in- 
creased heart’s action, and, if pushed to extremes, loss of sensibility, paralysis, 
stupor, rigors, and death. When applied to the skin it causes almost immediate 
vesication, followed by deep ulceration hard to heal. The symptoms caused by 
small repeated doses of the ground seeds are, in abstract: Salivation, with yellow- 
coated tongue; burning and scraping in the throat, followed by a sense of con- 
_ Striction; thirst: nausea and vomiting; painful flatulence ; burning and crawling : 
in the rectum; copious pasty stools; dark-colored urine; creeping chills, and 
Inclination to sweat. : | ce = 
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE 23. 7 
1. End of flowering branch, Salem, Mass., July 28th, 1885. 
2. Essential organs. — 
3. Pistil. 
4. Anthers. 
5. Silique. 
6. Seed. 
7. Longitudinal section of seed. 
- (2-7 enlarged.) 
—* Am, Four. Phar., 1883, 551. ~ F Or Brassic (CyyH,,0,). 2 CooHs50r oo. AGHA, ee 
