chloroplatinate of nicotine ; that is to say, in dilute solution, 
flattened prisms with parallelogram base. This chloroplatinate, which 
is represented by the formula C 10 H 14 ]N r 2 2HClPtCl 2 , having been 
dried at 115° C. during four hours, gave upon analysis — platinum, 
34 per cent. ; chlorine, 36 per cent. The calculated number for 
chloroplatinate of nicotine are — platinum, 34*4 per cent. ; chlorine, 
37 per cent. 
The other reactions are absolutely the same as for nicotine. I 
would mention, however, particularly that relative to the formation of 
iodo-nicotine. Upon mixing together ethereal solutions of iodine and 
of the pituri alkaloid very fine crystals similar to those of iodo- 
nicotine are rapidly formed. 
The alkaloid prepared by Mr. Gerrard has been experimented 
with in London by two able physiologists, Messrs. Sidney Linger and 
Murrell. The phenomena observed confirmed in an evident manner 
those described by Claude Bernard in his memoir on Nicotine 
augmentation of the number of the respirations, which became painful 
and diaphragmatic, an unsteady gait, convulsive contraction of the 
muscles, rigidity of the limbs, and all there described. A remarkable 
circumstance is mentioned by all three observers : the animal appears 
blind and the eyeball seems to be reversed so that the pupil cannot be 
seen. But in examining this phenomenon more closely Claude 
Bernard had observed, before Linger and Murrell, that it was due to 
tension. 
The alkaloid of pituri is therefore nicotine. 
M. Petit, in thus announcing the identity of piturine with 
nicotine, gave me a great surprise. Some comparative experi- 
ments I have just made on animals with extract of Pituri and 
Tobacco go far to confirm the view of M. Petit. The Pituri 
extract is, however, very much stronger than Tobacco extract ; 
pure nicotine I am unable to get in the colony. The remark- 
able contraction of the ocular muscles in the case of dogs 
suffering from Pituri was observed by me and recorded at page 
12 of my paper on Pituri and Duboisia as follows : — “ The 
extreme retraction of the eye-ball in dogs is very remarkable.” 
There is no mention of this effect in the ordinary medical works 
as produced by Tobacco, though it appears to be recorded in 
Bernard’s paper quoted by Petit, a copy of which I have not 
seen. I would suggest to experimentalists in Europe to make 
further observations on this phenomenon, and inquire if the 
alkaloids that resemble nicotine have any similar action on the 
eyes of dogs. After injecting a large dose of Pituri a dog’s 
eyes are lost to sight, only duplicatures of the conjunction being 
visible. The dog may be quite sensible, wag his tail, and follow 
the sound of the voice, but the eyes remain quite buried in the 
orbit by the same muscular retraction one sees at any time 
when an attempt is made to touch the eyes of these animals. 
* Legons sur les Substances toxiques et mMicamen tenses, 
