630 
CHLORODYNE AND ITS INVESTIGATORS. 
A cursory glance at this fictitious flake manna would lead to the conclusion 
of its being the finest natural flake manna, from which, indeed, the public would 
not readily distinguish it, but closer inspection reveals certain obvious differences. 
When broken, no crystals of mannite are to be seen in the interstices ; there ; 
an absence of the peculiar bitter taste and of the odour characteristic of goou 
manna; the fictitious manna is cleaner, lighter, more uniform in colour, and 
more solid, than is usual with natural flake ; it dissolves more readily in water, 
and makes a clearer solution, which, when shaken, does not form a permanent 
froth. If one part be added to four of rectified spirit of wine, and the mixture 
be boiled for a few minutes, a residue, resembling clarified honey, will be ob¬ 
tained, whereas natural manna treated in the same way leaves a hard substance 
in irregular masses. 
The fictitious flake manna afforded me about 40 per cent, of mannite; natural 
manna in fine stalactites, treated in precisely the same method, yielded about 
70 per cent. 
The crystals obtained by alcohol were identical, whether the artificial or 
natural drug were employed. 
27, Hay market. 
CHLORODYNE AND ITS INVESTIGATORS. 
BY ANOTHER PROVINCIAL. 
In a previous number of the Journal “ A Provincial” complains that few che¬ 
mists have noticed his statements about chlorodyne. This reticence is doubt¬ 
less to be attributed to the urgent duties of their calling, or it may be to its 
pressing cares, rather than to want of observation, indifference, or any great 
sensitiveness as to vested interests. Many, less fortunate, perhaps, than our 
talented friend, may be absolutely prevented by the “res an gust a3 domi,” from 
indulging in speculations as to “ the composition of chlorodyne.”* 
Having had frequent opportunities of becoming acquainted with the nature 
of this compound (using it constantly in dispensing, etc.), I will do my best to 
supply the deficiency of response complained of, by a few brief remarks on some 
communications which have appeared on the subject. 
1. “ Chlorodyne v. Liq. Chloroformi Co.”—On this paper, inserted in the 
number for September last, I would observe, that while the facts and conclu¬ 
sions are stated with much adroitness, the former certainly do not bear out the 
latter. The case cited appears to me wholly insufficient to sustain the inference 
which “ A Provincial ” deduces from it, viz. that chlorodyne, both true and 
factitious, owes its efficacy to “ morphia slightly modified by chloroform.” 
When a patient has taken chlorodyne for three years and three months, in large 
and repeated doses, and the more urgent symptoms have been (as in this case) 
relieved, it is not at all surprising that the simpler sedative morphia should 
suffice to keep up the condition of relief thus attained. But this does not prove 
that the Jirst effects were due to morphia alone , and that chlorodyne is, there¬ 
fore, only “ morphia in disguise.”t If it be desirable to ascertain the composition 
of chlorodyne, this can only be arrived at, I presume, either by chemical analysis 
or by observation of its physiological effects, when taken in overdose or tested side 
by side with morphia, etc., on patients suffering from the same or analogous com¬ 
plaints. Hence the case quoted by “ A Provincial ” is absolutely worthless as 
* In this paper hy “ chlorodyne,” chlorodyne ver. (Dr. J. C. Browne’s) is intended, 
f The imitative chlorodyne probably contained, if not the same ingredients as the true, 
types of them ; one kind is advertised as containing Indian hemp. 
