BUTYL-CHLORAL HYDRAS. 161 



the insane or the confirmed drunkard, it should not be perse- 

 vered with ; nor if it increases instead of relieving sleepless- 

 ness in certain individuals, as it does occasionally, apparently 

 from idiosyncrasy. Lastly, chloral must he prescribed with 

 great hesitation to persons who suffer from constitutional 

 debility of the nervous system, expressing itself in hysteria, 

 despondency, excitability, and innumerable other forms. Such 

 subjects very readily acquire the " chloral habit," that is, they 

 consume on their own account regular and ever increasing 

 quantities of chloral, until the nervous system and general 

 nutrition fail, the mind is demoralised, and the victims ulti- 

 mately perish like the drunkard and opium eater. 



BUTYL-CHLORAL HYDRAS. HYDRATE OF 



BUTYL-CHLORAL. PROTON-CHLORAL. C 4 H 3 C1 3 O. 



(Not Officinal) 



Source. Made by passing Chlorine gas through Acetic Alde- 

 hyde, which is converted first into Crotonic Aldehyde, and then 

 into Croton Chloral. 



Characters. Small brilliant tabular crystals, with a pungent 

 odour, much like that of chloral hydrate, and an acrid nauseous 

 taste. Solubility, 1 in 100 of water, freely in spirit, 1 in 4 of 

 glycerine. 



Incompatibles. As of chloral hydrate. 



Dose. 2 to 15 gr. 



ACTION AND USES. 



In every important respect the action of butyl-chloral is 

 nearly allied to that of chloral hydrate, and it will therefore 

 suffice to indicate the points wherein the two drugs differ. 



Butyl-chloral as a hypnotic is less rapid, less certain, and less 

 powerful than the other, which is generally to be preferred for 

 this purpose. It is believed that butyl-chloral is less depressant 

 to the heart, and therefore that it may be given in insomnia 

 with cardiac weakness where chloral hydrate would be inad- 

 missible. We must accept this recommendation with <rn-at 

 caution. The most important effect of butyl-chloral, peculiar! 

 to itself, is anaesthesia of the region of the trigeminus, I 

 that is, of the face and part of the scalp, preceding the hypnotism. I 

 But even this action has been disputed by good author!; 

 The drug relieves some cases of t ic -douloureux and facial 



