Am  Jour  Pharm.  I    Examination  of  Persian  Insect  Powder. 
Oct.,  1881.      j  «^ 
perties  of  the  extract  and  its  deportment  with  the  various  reagents 
with  which  it  was  treated. 
In  the  first  place,  its  soft  consistence  and  sticky  nature  are  qua:lities 
possessed  by  the  whole  class  of  soft  resins.  It  is  readily  soluble  in 
alcohol,  tlie  solution  giving  an  acid  reaction  and  precipitating  upon' 
the  addition  of  water.  These  are  properties  possessed  by  resins  in 
general.  Many  resins  combine  with  alkalies  and  form  compounds 
which  may  be  called  resin-soaps.  The  benzol  extract  became  soluble 
upon  treating  with  a  few  drops  of  potassium  hydrate  and  formed  a 
lather  when  agitated.  Resins,  with  some  exceptions,  are  precipitated 
unchanged  from  their  combination  with  alkaline  bases.  The  sohitioii 
of  the  benzol  extract  in  potassium  hydrate  yielded  a  precipitate  with 
acidulated  water;  the  poisonous  properties  of  the  extract  were  not 
impaired  by  the  treatment,  as  was  demonstrated  by  experiments  made 
upon  flies.  The  previously  described  action  of  the  extract  with  sul- 
phuric acid  is  also  one  of  the  characteristics  of  a  resin. 
With  the  support  of  the  evidence  given  by  these  reactions^  the 
writer  ventures  to  answer  the  question  previously  put,  by  stating  that 
the  active  principle  of  Persian  insect  powder  is  in  nature  a  soft  resin. 
The  poisonous  action  of  the  powder  seems  to  be  directed  principallv 
to  the  alimentary  canal  and  the  power  of  locomotion.  The  insect  at 
first  runs  wildly  about,  evidently  having  an  unpleasant  sensation  about 
the  mouth,  as  is  manifested  by  the  ejection  of  a  watery  fluid  and  the 
strenuous  endeavors  of  its  fore  legs  to  remove  the  cause  of  the  irrita- 
tion. The  legs  next  begin  to  show  signs  of  weakness  and  eventual! v 
become  unable  to  support  the  body.  The  •  insect  then  resorts  to  its 
wings,  and  after  a  few  short  trips  through  the  air  the  victim  find? 
itself  on  its  back.  While  in  this  position,  it  may  easily  be  observed 
that  the  action  on  the  alimentary  canal  is  decided,  as  is  evinced  by 
the  drops  of  liquid  issuing  from  the  mouth  and  from  unmistakable 
signs  of  irritation  in  the  lower  part  of  the  canal.  The  poisoned  insect^ 
though  powerless  to  move,  shows  signs  of  life  as  long  as  ten  hour& 
after  taking  the  poison. 
University  of  Michigan^ 
School  of  Pharmacy ^  August,  1881. 
