55 
STROPHANTHINUM. 
Strophaiith in. 
A glucoside or mixture of glucosides, obtained from Strophanthus. 
Character. — A white or faintly yellowish crystalline powder, con- 
taining varying amounts of water of crystallization. Permanent in 
the air. Taste intensely bitter; great caution should be used in 
tasting it. 
Solubility. — Very soluble in water and diluted alcohol. 
Dose. — I 4 Average dose: 0.0003 Gm. =0.3 milligramme grain).” 
(U. S. P.) 
Caution. — Keep in well stoppered amber colored bottles. Its solu- 
tions are very liable to decompose and should be freshly prepared. 
Exceedingly powerful poison. There is no known chemical assay for 
this drug and, as it is liable to variation, physicians would do well to 
secure specimens which have been tested physiologically. 
STRYCHNINE NITRAS. 
Strychnine Nitrate. 
c ?1 h 22 n 2 o 2 .hno 3 
Character.— Colorless, glistening needles, odorless, and having an 
intensely bitter taste; permanent in the air. 
Solubility. — Soluble in water (1:12), alcohol (1:120), and glycerin 
(1:60); much more soluble in warm water or alcohol. 
The hydrochloride (the only strychnine salt official in the Br. P.) 
and the Sulphate (already official in the U. S. P.) both contain water 
of crystallization and effloresce in dry air. The Nitrate (the only salt 
official in the P. G.) contains no water of crystallization and is perma- 
nent in the air. 
Dose. : — “Average dose: 0.001 Gm.=l milligramme (^ grain).” 
(U. S. P.) 
SULPHONETHYLMETHANUM. 
Sulphonethylmethane. 
( Trional. ) 
(CH 8 )(C 2 H 5 )C(S0 2 C 2 H 5 ) 2 
This substance is commonly known by the trade name, trional. It is 
official in the German Pharmacopoeia under the name Methylsulfona- 
lum; in the French and Swedish Pharmacopoeias it is called Trional, 
and in the Austrian Pharmacopoeia, Trionalum. It should not be con- 
fused with Sulphonmethanum (q. v.) {sulphonaC). 
Chemistry. — Chemically it is diethylsulphonemethylethylmethane 
(c ] ?f>C<18 2 8 2 i 5 ) ailC ^ ma T regarded as methane (CHJ in 
which two hydrogen atoms are replaced by ethylsulphone (S0 2 C 2 H 5 ) 
