406 
ALGAROBA8 OR CAROUBAS. 
duced was dried and exhausted with alcohol of specific gravity 
0 840. This alcoholic solution was evaporated to dryness in 
a water bath, and the residue treated with very dilute hydro- 
chloric acid. This was again neutralized, and the deposit 
which fell redissolved in dilute hydrochloric acid. This so- 
lution was then evaporated to dryness, and the residue treated 
with the various tests characterising strychnine, when its 
presence was clearly indicated. 
“ As the master of the hounds attached great importance 
to the case, he requested me to obtain a sufficient amount of 
poison from the stomachs of some of the other dead dogs, 
that I might not only be convinced of the presence of the 
poison, but might also bring some of the extracted strychnine 
into court. To enable me to do so, several dogs were disin- 
terred and forwarded to my laboratory, and the space of time 
which had elapsed from the date of death to the time when 
1 submitted them to analysis was at least three weeks, and 
still I perfectly succeeded in extracting strychnine from the 
stomach of the dogs, and exhibiting it in the state of crystal- 
lized hydrochlorate.” 
THE ALGABOBAS OB CABOUBAS. 
Among the products from Spain, in the Agricultural 
Show at Paris, is the above-named article, which is one that 
appears very likely to prove useful to this country. It grows 
on a species of acacia tree, found in great profusion all 
along that part of the coast of Spain, and probably to be 
met with on all parts of the sea-coast of the Mediterranean. 
It is used as the principal food of horses and mules, is sweet 
to the taste, in shape like a podded bean or large pea, with 
seeds in the centre. It is the same article which has been 
lately imported from Egypt under the name of locusts, or 
St. John’s bread, and which is now selling in London, as 
cattle-food, at about £8 a ton. It may be got in any quan- 
tity at Barcelona, at the price of 5f. per 100 kilogrammes, 
which is little more than 40s. a ton. It is shown also as a 
product of Sicily, under the name of “caroubas,” and is likely 
to be obtained in great abundance, if there should be any 
demand for it. The English seem to have put it to a wrong 
use in giving it to cattle, as it is exclusively applied to the 
feeding of horses and similar stock in Spain. We trust that 
this notice of it may induce some of the Spanish merchants 
to import it from Barcelona, as it may be sold with an 
excellent profit at one half the price now sought for it in 
