CRYSTALLIZED  DIGITALIN. 
315 
ON  CRYSTALLIZED  DIGITALIN. 
By  M.  C.  a.  Nativelle. 
In  the  Moniteur  Scientifique  of  Feb.  15,  1867,  the  author 
published  a  memoir  addressed  to  the  Belgian  Academy  of 
Medecine  the  previous  year  for  the  eoncours  which  it  had  opened 
on  digitalin. 
Since  that  time,  after  many  difficulties  he  has  obtained  this 
new  substance  by  a  more  direct  means,  avoiding  the  operation 
with  tannin  and  oxide  of  lead,  and  by  separating  by  means  of 
chloroform  an  abundant  crystallizable  principle  which  is  ivholly 
without  taste. 
This  principle  is  less  soluble  in  alcohol  than  crystallized  digi- 
talin, and  deposits  first  soon  after  the  cooling  of  the  liquor  ; 
afterwards  the  digitalin  in  radiated  crystals  appears.  This  dif- 
ference caused  the  author  to  suppose  it  a  modification  of  digitalin 
by  heat,  and  the  less  intense  bitterness  of  the  mixture  favored 
this  view ;  but  crystallized  digitalin,  on  the  contrary,  is  a  stable 
substance  which  is  not  affected  by  the  heat  of  boiling  water.  The 
sample  of  crystallized  digitalin  in  the  Paris  Exposition,  sent 
by  him,  contained  about  two-thirds  of  its  weight  of  this  inert 
substance. 
JExtraction  of  Crystallized  Digitalin. — Crystallized  digitalin  is 
found  in  the  residue  of  digitalis  exhausted  hy  water,  in  the  pro- 
cess for  obtaining  the  amorphous  digitalin  in  use  under  that 
name.  This  residue,  considered  as  useless,  contains  the  most  in- 
teresting ingredient  and  true  principle  of  digitalis. 
Mix  100  parts  of  coarsely  powdered  digitalis  of  the  woods, 
(collected  in  May  before  the  development  of  the  floral  stem, 
when  the  leaves  are  richest  in  activity)  with  100  parts  of  water 
and  25  parts  of  crystallized  acetate  of  lead ;  twelve  hours  after 
percolate  the  mixture  with  water,  after  packing  it  in  a  cylinder, 
until  300  parts  of  liquid  is  obtained,  which  set  aside.  Dry  the  resi- 
due in  the  percolator,  and  treat  it  with  alcohol  of  50  per  cent, 
until  deprived  of  taste.  When  about  300  parts  of  tincture  have 
passed  add  to  it  4  parts  of  crystallized  acetate  of  lead,  filter,  and 
into  the  decolorized  liquid  throw  a  solution  containing  two  parts 
of  phosphate  of  soda.  Separate  this  new  precipitate  and  distil 
the  liquid  by  a  water-bath  to  regain  the  alcohol.    The  residue 
