September 21, 1872.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS 
225 
the compounds of tetraethyl-arsenium, it loses its poi¬ 
sonous properties. It is not only the introduction of 
other elements which influences the physiological pro¬ 
perties of a body, but they depend sometimes upon the 
manner in which these elements are combined. United 
with carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, as tartarated anti¬ 
mony, antimony acts as an emetic; in another compound 
where it is united with the same elements, it has no longer 
such action. The group of cyanogen compounds present 
examples still more striking. Anhydrous prussic acid 
may be mixed with fifty times its weight of water, and 
even more, without losing its poisonous properties. 
Combined chemically with one or two molecules of 
water, as formic amide or formiate of ammonia, the 
molecule of prussic acid loses its poisonous properties. 
Again, add to the molecule of prussic acid a group 
formed of one atom of carbon and two atoms of hydro¬ 
gen, that is to say, introduce the radical methyl, and 
according to the place occupied by that radical, accord¬ 
ing to the manner in which it is combined, we shall 
have two bodies of the same composition, but with 
different properties; one by its suffocating odour and 
poisonous properties recalling prussic acid; the other, 
with a strongly aromatic odour, but not having the 
slightest injurious effect upon the system. We thus 
have a method of modifying the physiological action 
of a substance by the addition of a certain number of 
atoms of carbon and hydrogen, by the introduction 
into its molecule of the radical methyl. How could 
such a discovery remain long unutilized? Already 
therajieutists have sought to profit by it, and w r ith this 
object have been produced the extensive researches of 
Crum Brown and Fraser upon the changes which 
occur in the physiological properties of strychnine, 
brucine, thebaine, codeine, morphine and nicotine, 
when the radical methyl is introduced into these bases, 
and in the same direction, the labours of Jolyet and 
Cahours upon aniline and its methylic derivation. 
The limit to which I am confined will not allow me 
to indicate all the results of these researches. But 
there are some indubitable facts to which I would call 
your attention. It has been found that the reflex 
cramps produced in a frog by the administration of 
morphine are reduced to a simple paralysis when the 
base has been methylated; and that the more or less 
sudden action of strychnine, brucine and thebaine are 
nearly extinguished in their methylic derivatives. The 
latter only present the action upon the extremities of the 
motor nerves, which characterizes the Indian arrow 
poison curarine. If the beginning of research discloses 
such modifications in the powerful properties of well- 
known substances, it cannot be doubted that in the 
future active researches will be prosecuted in this 
direction. 
Perhaps it is reserved for us to see a revolution take 
place in therapeutics like that w r hich has recently been 
accomplished in the dyeing industry. The modern dyer 
disdains, more and more, to produce the different shades 
by the mechanical mixture of many colouring matters; 
it is the same colouring principle which, according to 
colour desired, undergoes a definite chemical modifica¬ 
tion^ This same methylic radical which we have seen 
deprive prussic acid of its dangerous properties can work 
in colouring matters an infinite variety of modifications. 
Let it be introduced into the molecule of rosaniline, the 
base to which we owe fuchsine, and this magnificent red 
is converted into a splendid violet. The introduction of 
two or three methylic radicals causes this red violet to pass 
into a blue violet and then into blue. Two more methylic 
groups and we obtain the magnificent green, which re¬ 
joices the heart of the fairer half of the human race. The 
modern dyer is not content with the methyl radical; there 
are other radicals, compounds of carbon and hydrogen, 
carbon and oxygen, and oxygen and nitrogen, which he 
utilizes with the most marvellous results. This remarkable 
revolution which, in dyeing, is now an accomplished fact, 
is, in therapeutics, scarcely in its first stage. But he w T ho 
obsen es with an attentive eye and reflectingly the power¬ 
ful influence that to-day chemistry impresses upon every 
science and industry with which it comes into contact, wiil 
not doubt that, however varied these sciences and indus¬ 
tries may be, the changes brought about by this influence 
will all be in the same direction, and that just as now 
the dyer no more has recourse to mechanical mixtures, 
but to chemical compounds to attain his object, so the 
therapeutist will follow in the path traced out, and applv 
himself more and more to modify the physiological pro¬ 
perties of his medicaments, no longer by means of me¬ 
chanical mixtures in the phial of the pharmacist, but by 
the. aid of chemical modifications of the molecule of the 
active principle itself. 
IGNITION OF COTTON BY SATURATION WITH 
FATTY OILS.* 
BY JOHN GALLETLY'. 
The following- experiments have been made with 
the view of giving greater precision to our knowdedge 
of the kindling of cotton or other open combustible 
materials which happen to have imbibed animal or 
vegetable fatty oils. Gfraham mentionsf that “in¬ 
stances could be given of olive oils igniting upon saw¬ 
dust, of greasy rags from butter, heaped together, 
taking fire within a period of twenty-four hours.” The 
danger of fire from this cause is familiar to those manu¬ 
facturers who coat any textile fabric with varnishes 
containing drying oils, and also to Turkey-red dyers from 
the olive oil employed in their process. Generally, it 
is stated in Watts’s Dictionary that this combustion 
“ may take place in intervals varying from a few hours 
to several weeks, when considerable masses of lamp¬ 
black, tow, linen, paper, cotton, calico, woollen stuffs, 
ships’ cables, wood ashes, ochre, etc., are slightly soaked 
in oil and packed in such a manner that the air has 
moderate access to them.” (Watts’s Diet. ii. p. 880.) 
Nevertheless, there is great vagueness about the 
exact conditions in which actual ignition of the mass 
would take place, what size of a heap might be neces¬ 
sary, and the various powers of different oils to pro¬ 
duce this result. Graham states, in the report already 
quoted, that the ignition of heaps of the materials under 
discussion “has been often observed to be greatly 
favoured by a slight warmth,"such as the heat of the 
sun.” This is a very important observation. I shall 
only, however, mention in the meantime that the first 
of my experiments was made at a temperature of about 
170° Fahr., but I have some made at a heat a little 
over 130 Q or about the temperature a body acquires 
by lying perpendicular to the sun’s rays; the former 
temperature might represent the heat attained in the 
neighbourhood of a steam pipe, or in front of an open 
fire. For completeness, I shall repeat in this paper, 
along with later results, some observations published 
a few weeks ago in the 1 Oil Trade Journal.’ 
Boiled Linseed Oil with Chamber kept about 1703 
Fahr .—A handful of cotton waste, after being soaked in 
boiled linseed oil and removing the excess of this by 
wringing, was placed among dry waste in a box 17 in. 
long by 7in. square in the ends. Through a hole in the 
cover of this box a thermometer was passed with it3 
bulb resting amongst the oily cotton. Shortly after 
reaching the temperature of the warm chamber the mer¬ 
cury began to rise rapidly, viz., from 5° to 108 
every few minutes, and in 75 minutes from the time 
* Read before the Chemical Section of the British Associa¬ 
tion, August 21st, 1872. 
f Report on the Fire in the f Amazon,’ * Journ. Chem. Soe.,’ 
2 v. p. 31. 
