November 16,1872.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
387 
show that there are good reasons for supposing that 
resemblances between the chemical properties of sub¬ 
stances may be accompanied with certain similarities in 
their physiological action and activity ; that the physio¬ 
logical action of many substances may be modified by 
changing their chemical properties ; and that the phy¬ 
siological action of a substance may be accompanied 
with distinct chemical reactions between it and certain 
of the vital structures. Various attempts have been 
made to determine on what special chemical properties the 
physiological action of substances depend; of which those 
of Blake and Rabuteau are undoubtedly the most im¬ 
portant. Dr. Broadbent, of London, has advanced the 
opinion that the physiological action of a substance is re¬ 
lated to a property which he terms chemical tension , and 
■defines as the amount of energy developed by any 
possible rearrangement of the constituents of the sub¬ 
stance ; while Dr. Benjamin Richardson also has 
•shown that, in a series of bodies belonging to the same 
chemical type, the character of the symptoms somewhat 
depends on the volatility and solubility of the various 
members of the series. It is not necessary to occupy 
time by discussing these theories. Whatever germ 
of truth they may contain, their value in indicating a 
•connection between the chemical properties and the 
physiological action of active substances is a compara¬ 
tively limited one. It will be preferable to pass without 
further delay to the consideration of some other in¬ 
vestigations which bear upon this subject. 
There are numerous indications of a relation between 
the chemical composition of a substance and its physio¬ 
logical action. Thus, as already mentioned, the salts of 
the same base have generally a common action—a law 
that is departed from when the base is united to an 
acid which itself has a distinct action. Similarly, 
•compounds of the same acids with physiologically 
indifferent bases produce the same effects. When, 
however, the relationship between composition and 
physiological action is considered more fully, we fail 
do discover the cause of the peculiar action of 
substances in the presence and proportion of parti¬ 
cular elements. Many substances have identically the 
same composition—termed by chemists isomeric—possess 
very different physiological actions. This, for instance, 
is the case with the isomeric series represented by oil 
of turpentine, oil of lemons, oil of juniper, etc., all of 
which have the composition C l0 H 16 ; and with that re¬ 
presented by nitrite of ethyl and glycocol, both of which 
have the composition C 2 H 5 N0 2 . Kakodylic acid like¬ 
wise very well illustrates the insufficiency of compo¬ 
sition alone as an explanation of physiological action; 
for although it is a soluble substance, and contains more 
than 54 per cent, of metallic arsenic, it may be adminis¬ 
tered in large quantities without producing any effect 
whatever. And, finally, the action of the organic alka¬ 
loids is obviously opposed to this explanation—an oppo¬ 
sition which becomes apparent when we consider that 
aconitia paralyses the spinal cord, and also the inhibi¬ 
tory cardiac ganglia; while strychnia increases t^ e 
activity of the reflex apparatus in the cord, and stimu¬ 
lates rather than paralyses the cardiac vagi nerves, 
although both substances are alike composed of carbon, 
hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen. 
The chemical properties of substances, however, de¬ 
pend not only on their composition , but also on their con¬ 
stitution , or the mode in which their constituents are ar¬ 
ranged or united together. The difference between 
composition and constitution may be explained by a re¬ 
ference to such substances as the compound ethers. 
They are formed by the action of an acid on an alcohol, 
and may be so decomposed as to yield again the alcohol 
and acid from which they were produced. Now, com¬ 
mon alcohol (C 2 H 6 O) and valerianic acid (C 5 H 10 0 2 ) 
have together the same composition as amylic alcohol 
(C 5 H 12 O) and acetic acid (C 2 H 4 0 2 ) together. The 
combination of each of these two pairs of substances 
gives rise to a compound ether of identically the same 
composition, but differing in properties ; and each of 
these compound ethers can be decomposed so as to yield 
the pair of substances from which it was produced. 
Thus, 
= H 2 0 + C ; H 14 0 2 
= H 2 0 + C- H l4 0 2 
C 2 H c O + C 5 H 10 O 2 
Common alcohol. Valerianic acid. 
c, h 12 o + c 2 h 4 o 2 
Amylic alcohol. Acetic acid. 
The one ether obviously differs from the other in the man¬ 
ner in which the constituents are united together; that 
is to say, in its constitution. 
It appears, therefore, that substances may possess 
physical, chemical and physiological properties . that do 
not depend on their special composition. This inde¬ 
pendence of composition and property is also met with 
among inorganic substances. Some elements form only 
one series of compounds—as zinc with its single oxide, 
chloride and sulphate. Other elements form more than 
one series—as iron with its proto- and per-salts, arsenic 
with its arsenites and arsenates, and sulphur with its 
sulphides, sulphites, and sulphates; and distinct physi¬ 
cal and chemical properties are possessed by each indi¬ 
vidual series. In the examples last mentioned, the in¬ 
vestigation of the physiological action of the compounds 
belonging to any special series is a matter of considerable 
difficulty. Where varieties of constitution exist, the 
compounds of the less stable varieties readily undergo 
decomposition, and assume that constitution which pos¬ 
sesses the greatest stability. Thus the proto-salts ot 
iron easily change their constitution, and become con¬ 
verted into per-salts; and arsenates become reduced to 
arsenites. That changes of constitution also occur in 
the body, has been rendered certain by numerous obser¬ 
vations, and more especially by those of Rabuteau, w T ho 
has shown that, when introduced into the system, bro- 
iuates become changed to bromides, iodates to iodides, 
and sulphites and hyposulphites to sulphates ; in fact, 
that towards these substances the organism acts as a 
reducing agent. Hence, there is an absence of definite 
knowledge regarding the action of more than one series 
of the compounds of the elementary bodies. 
(To be continued .) 
THE MANUFACTURE OF OLIVE OIL IN 
CALIFORNIA. 
For a number of years past, the olive-tree has been 
cultivated with varying success throughout the Southern 
States of America, and especially on the islands on the 
coast of Georgia and Florida, and along the sea-board of 
North Carolina. The quality of the product, however, 
not being the best, its manufacture has never assumed 
proportions of any magnitude, nor has it been able to 
compete with the oil imported from Europe. 
A writer in the * Overland Monthly ’ publishes the infor¬ 
mation that the culture of the olive-tree and the manu¬ 
facture of oil from its fruit is gradually becoming a leading- 
industry in California. The character of the climate, and 
the soil of the valley of Santa Barbara and of the foot 
hills of Santa Inez, for sixty miles along the coast, are 
adapted to the production of the finest varieties of oil. 
It is predicted that this portion of the State will even¬ 
tually be numbered among the most celebrated oil 
districts of the world. 
The olive is propagated almost entirely by cuttings 
taken from the sprouts and branches of mature trees 
at the time of pruning. The cuttings are generally from 
ten to fifteen inches long, and from half an inch to three 
or four inches thick ; the thickest are the best. Ihese 
are placed in a perpendicular position in a bed ol goo( 
soil, six, eight, or ten inches apart, their tops level with 
the surface. The earth is pressed closely around them, 
and their ends are slightly covered to protect them 
from the drying influence of the sun. Here they remain, 
