518 HEMLOCK CONINE 



round, hollow, jointed, smooth, branching towards the top, 

 and covered with purple spots. The large bi- or tri-pinnate 

 leaves are glabrous and dark-green, have clasping petioles 

 of varying length, a nauseous, bitter taste, and a strong, 

 peculiar odour, which is characteristic of ah 1 parts of the 

 plant, and aptly compared to that of mice or of cats' urine. 

 The fruit resembles that of anise, is of a brown colour, about 

 one-eighth of an inch in length, broadly ovate, the two 

 mericarps, generally separated, each marked with five ribs. 

 Nine pounds of fruit produce an ounce of the alkaloid 

 conine, which, with a bitter oleo-resin and a non-poisonous 

 volatile oil, is found stored chiefly in cubical cells in the 

 endocarp. 



The leaves gathered in June, when the fruit begins to 

 form, are rapidly dried in stoves at about 120 Fahr., and 

 preserved in tins, bottles, or jars, excluded from light. 

 By drying, they lose three-fourths of their weight, and 

 one-half of their volatile principle, of which scarcely a 

 trace remains after they are kept twelve months (Royle). 

 Long keeping of the fruit and leaves, and their exposure 

 to temperatures exceeding 120 Fahr., account for the 

 inertness of many hemlock preparations. 



In addition to the active principle, conine, hemlock 

 contains varying proportions of methyl-conine, which acts 

 on the spinal cord, paralysing reflex action ; conhydrine, 

 which is said to be much less active than conine ; and 

 coniic acid. 



Pure conine (C 8 H 16 HN) may be obtained from the fruit or 

 leaves by distillation with caustic potash. It is a yellowish, 

 oily liquid, with an intense odour of mice, and a peculiar 

 acrid taste. Specific gravity '885. Soluble in 100 parts 

 of water ; and readily dissolved by alcohol or ether. 

 Nitric acid dropped on conine produces a blood-red colour, 

 sulphuric acid a purple-red, passing to olive-green. Its 

 chief salt is the hydrobromide, which contains about 60 per 

 cent, of the alkaloid. It is soluble in two parts of water 

 and in three of rectified spirit (Squire). 



The leaves and fruit of hemlock are distinguished by their 

 appearance, and, if triturated with diluted caustic potash 

 solution, evolve the characteristic odour of mice. Fool's 



