300 
STRYCHNOS NUX VOMICA. 
cinchonas : the most active cinchonas contain the most quinine, 
whilst St. Ignatius's bean and the Upas, which are much more active 
than the Niix Vomica, contain little Brucine, and much Strychnine : 
the Strychnine is almost pure in the Upas."* " Crystallized Brucine 
is a true hydrate; its affinity for water is very considerable, whilst 
pure Strychnine is not susceptible of passing into a state of hydrate. 
Brucine is intensely bitter, sparingly soluble in water, although more 
so than Strychnine; when regularly crystallized it is under the form 
of oblique prisms, with parallelogramic bases ; it fuses at a tem- 
perature nearly equal to that of boiling water, and in cooling" assumes 
the consistence of wax. Like Strychnine, it combines with acids, 
and forms neutral salts. By analysis it appears to consist of. 
Brucine appears to possess the properties of Strychnine, but in a 
much milder degree ; so that it may be given to the extent of two or 
three grains, in the same cases where Strychnine would be indicated. 
M. Magendie has administered Brucine with success in two cases of 
atrophy ; one of the leg, and the other of the arm : the patient took 
SIX pills in the day, of one-eighth of a grain each. 
Deleterious Effects of Nux Vomica. Sutficient has 
already been said to show that this substance, if incautiously taken, 
is highly poisonous, and it is therefore unnecessary to swell the sub- 
ject by quoting instances. As an animal poison it has been long 
known} the quantity of the seed necessary to produce this effect on 
a strong dog need only be a scruple ; a rabbit was killed by five, and 
a cat by four grains ; and of four persons who are recorded to have 
perished by it, one was a girl eleven years of age, to whom fifteen 
grains were given in two doses, for the cure of ague. The effects of 
this poison upon animals, even of the same species, is rather uncer- 
tain, and not always in proportion to the quantity taken. With some 
animals it produces its effects almost immediately ; with others not 
Carbon 
Azote 
Hydrogen 
Oxygen . . 
75.04 
7.22 
6.52 
11.21 
100 
♦ Brucine is obtained iu large quantities from the bark of the Brucea Antidy- 
senterica, by a process nearly similar to that directed for the preparation of Slrycbnine^ 
