330 poisons : their effects and detection. [§ 396 . 
and weighed. The weight is the amount of strychnine in 10 c.c. of the 
percolate. The knowledge thus obtained affords data for the dilution of 
the remainder of the percolate so as to produce a liquid extract containing 
1- 5 grm. of strychnine per 100 c.c. Limit of plus or minus error, 0*05 grm. 
The Dry Extract of Nox Vomica is made from the liquid extract, 
with the addition of calcium phosphate, and is so adjusted that it con¬ 
tains 5 parts by weight of strychnine in 100 grms. 
The B.P. tincture of nux vomica is made by diluting with water 
and alcohol the liquid extract. The strength is adjusted so that 1*25 
mgrm. strychnine hydrochloride is contained in every c.c. 
Solution of strychnine hydrochloride, B.P., a spirituous solution of 
strychnine. Strength, in strychnine salt, 1 per cent. 
Hypodermic injection of hydrochloride of strychnine is an aqueous 
solution. Strength, 0-75 per cent. 
Syrup of phosphate of iron with quinine and strychnine contains 
0-057 per cent, strychnine. 
The above are the official preparations, but in pharmaceutical com¬ 
merce, in tabloid form or otherwise, there may be found strychnine 
nitrate, strychnine sulphate, and a large number of combinations of 
strychnine with such drugs as morphine, apomorphine, atropine, bella¬ 
donna, quinine, ergot, ergotoxin, aloes, pepsin, creosote, compound 
hypophosphites, nitroglycerin (trinitron), and arsenic. 
Keller 1 estimates the alkaloids in nux vomica as follows :—Place 12 
grms. of the powder in a flask with 80 grms. of ether and 40 grms. of chloro¬ 
form. After half an hour add 10 c.c. of a 10 per cent, solution of ammonia. 
Shake at intervals for half an hour, then add 15 to 22 c.c. of water and 
again shake. Now pour off 100 c.c. of the ether mixture into a separating 
funnel and shake with 50 c.c. of a 0’5 per cent. HC1 solution, draw off the 
acid, add 20 c.c. more acid, shake, and again draw off. Add excess of am¬ 
monia, and extract the alkaloids with ether and chloroform; evaporate. The 
extracted alkaloids represent the quantity in 10 grms. of the original powder. 
In four samples of nux vomica examined by Dragendorff, the total 
alkaloids ranged from 2-33 to 2*42 per cent. Grate found in two samples 
2- 88 per cent, and 2*86 per cent, respectively ; while Karing from one 
sample separated only 1-65 per cent. The strychnine and brucine are 
in about equal proportions, Dragendorff 2 finding 1-87 per cent, strych¬ 
nine and 1-145 per cent, brucine. 3 
1 Ghent. Gentr., i. 228, 1896. 2 Dragendorff, Die chemische Werthbestimmung 
einiger starkwirlcenden Droguen, St Petersburg, 1874. 
3 These details are very necessary, as bearing on the question of the fatal dose of 
nux vomica, which Taylor tells us ( Med. Jurisprud., i. 409) was of some importance 
in Reg. v. Wren, in which 47 grains were attempted to be given in milk. The fatal 
dose of nux vomica must be ruled by its alkaloidal content, which may be so low as 
1 per cent., and as high as nearly 3 per cent. Thirty grains have proved fatal ( Taylor ) ; 
if the powder in this instance was of the ordinary strength, the person died from less 
than a grain (-0648 grm.) of the united alkaloids, 
