1820.] Physical Science during the Year 1819. 29 



blown into the throat of a rabbit proved fatal in five minutes, and 

 brought on locked jaw in two minutes. 



Sulphate of Strychnia is a salt which crystalHzes in transpa- 

 rent cubes, soluble in less than 10 times its weight of cold water. 

 Its taste is intensely bitter, and the strychnia is precipitated from 

 it by all the soluble salifiable bases. It is not altered by expo- 

 sure to the air. In the temperature of 212° it loses no weight, 

 but becomes opaque. At a higher temperature it melts, and 

 speedily congeals again with a loss of three per cent, of its 

 weight. At a still higher temperature it is decomposed and 

 charred. Its constituents are : 



Sulphuric acid 9*5 5*00 



Strychnia 90-5 47-63 



100-0 



Muriate of Strychnia crystallizes in very small needles, which 

 are grouped together, and before the microscope exhibit the form 

 of quadrangular prisms. When exposed to the air, it becomes 

 opaque. It is more soluble in water than the sulphate ; has a 

 similar taste, and acts with the same violence upon the animal 

 economy as all the other salts of strychnia. When heated to 

 the temperature at which the base is decomposed, it allows the 

 muriatic acid to escape. 



Phosphate of Strychnia crystallizes in four-sided prisms. It 

 can only be obtained neutral by double decomposition. 



Nitrate of Strychnia can only be obtained by dissolving 

 strychnia in nitric acid diluted with a great deal of water. The 

 saturated solution, when cautiously evaporated, yields crystals 

 of neutral nitrate in pearly needles. This salt is much more 

 soluble in hot than in cold water. Its taste is exceedingly bitter, 

 and it acts with more violence upon the animal economy than 

 pure strychnia. It seems capable of uniting with an excess of 

 acid. When heated, it becomes yellow, and undergoes decom- 

 position. It is slightly soluble in alcohol, but is insoluble in 

 ether. 



When concentrated nitric acid is poured upon strychnia, it 

 immediately strikes an amaranthine colour, followed by a shade 

 similar to that of blood. To this colour succeeds a tint of 

 yellow, which passes afterwards into green. By this action, the 

 strychnia seems to be altered in its properties, and to be converted 

 into a substance still capable of uniting with acids. 



Carbonate of Strychnia is obtained in the form of white flocks, 

 little soluble in water, but soluble in carbonic acid. 



Acetic, oxalic, and tartaric acids form with strychnia neutral 

 salts, which are very soluble in water, and more or less capable 

 of crystallizing. They crystallize best when they contain an 

 excess of acid. The neutral acetate is very soluble, and crystal- 

 lizes with difficulty. 



