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COCAIXA. 
Cocaine. 
C 17 H a NO, 
Official under same name in the British Pharmacopoeia. An alkaloid 
obtained from several varieties of Coca. Hitherto only the most 
frequently used salt of Cocaine — the hydrochloride — was official in 
the U. S. Pharmacopoeia. 
Properties. — Slightly soluble in water (1:600). much more so in 
alcohol (1:5). more readily in both when warm: insoluble in glycerin. 
Cocaine is a methyl compound of benzoylecgonine. When it is 
boiled with water methyl alcohol is first split off. then benzoic acid: 
these changes occur more rapidly with dilute acids or barium hydrox- 
ide. Conversely cocaine may be built up by introducing the methyl 
and benzoyl groups into ecgonine fa compound having the empirical 
formula C 9 H 15 X0 3 ). 
Cocaine is contained in the newly introduced Oleatum Cocaina?. 
Dose. — "Average dose: 0.030 Cm. = 30 milligrammes (1 grain).” 
(CT.S.P.) 
Substitutes for Cocaine. — A number of synthetic compounds with 
names suggestive of that of cocaine have recently been introduced as 
local anaesthetics. Among the best known of these are beta-eucaine 
(the hydrochloride of benzoyl-vinyl-diacetonealkamin ): hobocaine , 
which may be regarded as a derivative of acetphenetidin (phenace- 
t in > ; tropacocaine ( benzoylpseudotropein) : nirvanin , ansesthin ipara- 
amido-benzoic acid ester) and orthoform , complex derivatives of benzoic 
acid. Stovain is a recent addition to this group. 
CODEINE PHOSPHAS. 
Codeine Phosphate. 
C 18 H 21 X0 3 . H 3 P0 4 — 2H 2 0 
Official under same name in the British Pharmacopoeia and as Codei- 
num phosphoricum in the German. Hitherto the free alkaloid alone 
was official in the U. S. Pharmacopoeia. 
Character. — "Fine, white, needle-shaped crystals or crystalline 
powder, without odor, and having a bitter taste.” 
Solubility. — Soluble in 2.25 parts of water. 261 parts of alcohol, 
more so when either is warmed. The aqueous solution has a slightly 
acid reaction to litmus. 
Dose.— "Average dose: 0.03 Gm. - 30 milligrammes (? grain)." 
(C. S.P.) 
