NICOTINA, AND ITS EFFECTS ON ANIMALS. 399 
sured quantity of nicotina, the proportion present in an un¬ 
known case may be thereby determined. A solution of two 
drops of nicotina to one ounce of water is sufficiently strong 
to give all the reactions above described. 
“ As a summary of these distinctions between ammonia and 
nicotina, it may be stated, that nicotina is specially identi¬ 
fied by its strong and peculiar odour, wholly unlike that of 
ammonia, either in the cold or when heated—by the precipitate, 
■without change of colour, given by tannic acid—the reddish 
brown precipitate by iodine water—and the immediate de¬ 
struction of the colour of a solution of permanganate of 
potash. 
“ If ammonia is mixed with nicotina, it may be separated 
either by spontaneous evaporation, or the mixture, neutra¬ 
lized by diluted sulphuric acid, may be carefully evaporated 
to dryness, and the residue treated with alcohol. Sulphate of 
nicotina is dissolved, while that of ammonia remains. 
“ Experiment on a rabbit .—A single drop of the pure nicotina, 
examined in the above-mentioned analysis, was placed at the 
back of the mouth of a healthy rabbit. The taste appeared 
to be affected, the animal frothed at the mouth, and a quan¬ 
tity of frothy mucus issued from between the jaws, which 
were closed. 
“ Symptoms .—In from fifteen to twenty seconds the animal 
lost all power of standing on its legs; it fell on its side, and 
was violently convulsed in its fore and hind legs; these were 
in rapid motion for half a minute, and the back was arched as 
in opisthotonos, but again speedily relaxed. The animal then 
lay tranquil for about a minute, when it was again sud¬ 
denly seized with similar clonic convulsions; these ceased, 
and the animal appeared to be dead. The heart continued 
to contract for about half a minute, and then ceased. The 
animal died in three minutes and a half from the time at 
which the poison was placed in its mouth. During the con¬ 
vulsions, and after death, it was observed that a quantity of 
frothy mucus escaped from the mouth. This was strongly 
alkaline, and it was supposed to have the odour of nicotina; 
but as the air of the room was impregnated with the vapour, 
nothing certain could be said on this point. 
Ci Appearances .—The body was examined in an hour and a 
half after death. The eyes were prominent and staring; the 
limbs were relaxed, but these became rigid about half an hour 
later. On opening the abdomen the stomach was found dis- 
. tended with food. When laid open, the only odour perceptible 
was that of sour green food. The coats were pale ; and the 
blood-vessels were strongly marked in their course by the 
