STRYCHNOS NUX VOMICA. VOMIC, or POISON NUT. 
THE figure of this plant, together with its botanical description, and me- 
dicinal properties, will be found in Vol. II. of this work; but the recent va- 
luable discoveries of the French chemists, render a particular account of the 
analysis of its seeds eminently interesting and important. From the recent 
experiments of M. Pelletier, it appears, that the nus vomica contains two 
very active alkaline substances, to which the names of Strychnine and Bru- 
cine have been given ; and to these —— nux vomica owes its delete- 
rious and medicinal properties. 
Strychnine. This substance is prepared as follows :—“ Add a solution of 
liquid subacetate of lead to a solution in water of alcoholic extract of nux 
vomica, until no more precipitate is-thrown down ; Separate the lead by sul- 
phuretted hydrogen; filtrate it, and boil with magnesia, which will unite 
with the acetic acid, and precipitate the strychnine. Wash the precipitate 
in cold water, re-dissolve it in alcohol, to separate the excess of magnesia, 
and by evaporating the alcohol, the strychnine is obtained in a state of pu- 
rity : if not perfectly white, it must be re-dissolved in acetic acid, or hydro- 
chloric acid, and re-precipitated by means of magnesia.”* 
When slowly crystallized, it appears under the form of microscopical crys- 
tals, forming four-sided prisms, terminated by pyramids, with four flattened 
or depressed faces. Crystallized rapidly, it is white and granular ; it is in- 
supportably bitter to the taste, has no smell, is not changed by exposure to 
the air, is neither fusible nor volatile, is decomposed by a degree of heat in- 
ferior to that which destroys most vegetable substances. Exposed to the na- 
ked fire, it swells, becomes black, and gives out an empyreumatic oil, a little 
_ Water, acetic acid, carbonic acid gas, and carbonated hydrogen; it is scarcely 
* Magendie’s Formulaire. 
