1833.] _ Asiatic Society. 43 
By the foregoing process, sixty-five grains of strychnia were obtained 
from four pounds of Nux Vomica, at a cost of three rupees: a saving 
at the rate of more than two hundred rupees upon a single ounce. It 
was much purer than that purchased, as mentioned in the beginning of 
this paper; and a dose of half a grain, given to rabbits, killed one 
in a minute and half; and another in five minutes; whilst a small dog, 
after having taken a grain and half fell in fourteen minutes and half, 
and died at the end of twenty-five. The delay in the death of the se- 
cond rabbit, which did not take place until a second dose was in the act 
of being administered, may perhaps be attributed to the strychnia 
having been given in crystals instead of in powder; a state in which 
the difficulty of its solubility in watery secretions would of course be 
greatly increased. After this, I need scarcely add, that strycunta, like 
ARSENIC, MORPHIA, CORROSIVE SUBLIMATE, and other strong poisons, 
should never be given but in souution; it being impossible in any other 
manner accurately to measure the dose. 
Note.—I wish it to be understood, that for the foregoing process I do not 
lay any claims to originality. I may however mention that beyond a knowledge 
that Robiquet’s process for morphia had been pursued with strychnia, the details 
of which I have not met with, itis new to me. Should you think the subject wor- 
thy of attention, I propose to give you, in a future paper, my views of the rationale 
of the process, together with the results of more extended trials now going on under 
my superintendence at the Hon’ble Company’s Dispensary. 
VI.—Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 
Wednesday Evening, 9th January, 1833. 
The Hon’ble Sir Edward Ryan, President, in the chair. 
After reading the Proceedings of the last regular meeting and of the 
special meeting of the 19th December, the Society proceeded to ballot for 
the officers of the ensuing year, when Sir C. T. Metcalfe, Bart., Sir John 
Franks, and the Rev. Principal Mill were elected Vice-Presidents. 
Mr. James Prinsep was unanimously elected Secretary. 
The Rev. Dr. Carey, Mr. J. Calder, Mr. J. Tytler, Rev. Mr. Proctor, 
Baboo Ram Comul Sen, Mr. J. R. Colvin, Mr. D. Hare, and Dr. J. Pearson, 
were elected Members of the Committee of Papers. 
Mr. Clemishaw and Baboo Radhacant Deb, proposed at the last meeting, 
were elected Members. 
The Hon’ble Sir R. W. Horton, Governor of Ceylon, proposed at the 
last meeting by Mr. Wilson, seconded by Mr. J. Prinsep, was upon the 
favourable report of the Committee of Papers, unanimously elected an 
Honorary Member. 
Sir Benjamin Malkin, Recorder of Penang, was proposed by the Pre- 
sident, seconded by Mr. Prinsep, as an Honorary Member, and referred to 
the Committee of Papers. 
& 2 
Me e 
