Am,  Jour.  IMiarm. ) 
.    Dec,  1881.  I 
Strychnia  Sulphate. 
627 
in  the  displacer,  and  enough  water  allowed  to  pass  through  so  as  to 
produce  a  pint  of  liquid.  After  an  interval  of  a  day  another  pint  of 
fluid  was  produced  in  the  same  way.  Then^  after  setting  aside  for  24 
hours,  more  water  was  passed  through  so  as  to  obtain  another  pint. 
These  3  pints  were  mixed  together  and  kept  in  a  cool  place.  Percola- 
tion was  then  continued  until  half  a  gallon  of  liquid  was  obtained, 
which  was  evaporated  to  a  pint  by  means  of  a  water  bath.  When  this 
is  accomplished,  the  liquid  is  mixed  with  the  reserved  3  pints,  and,  the 
sugar  having  been  added,  it  is  dissolved  by  the  aid  of  heat,  which 
should  reach  162°F.,  so  as  to  coagulate  any  albumen  present,  strained 
and  the  essential  oils  are  added. 
The  syrup  thus  made  will  be  found  equally  strong  in  taste  as  that 
prepared  by  the  process  generally  employed,  and  by  dispensing  with 
the  use  of  alcohol  great  saving  in  expense  will  be  effected.  In  appear- 
ance it  is,  if  anything,  superior,  being  clearer  and  quite  as  dark  in 
color. 
By  intermittent  di.splacement  is  meant  the  treatment  of  materials  as 
described  in  the  process  just  mentioned,  namely,  by  alternately  dis- 
placing a  portion  of  the  fluid  (after  maceration)  and  allowing  an  inter- 
val of  time  to  supervene  before  continuing  to  do  so.  By  this  means, 
in  ordinary  practice,  a  thorough  exhaustion  of  the  active  or  medicinal 
ingredients  of  the  plants  can  be  effected  even  when  the  drug  is  not 
quite  as  finely  powdered  as  would  be  necessary  when  continued  perco- 
lation is  used.  It  combines  the  advantages  of  both  maceration  and 
displacement,  and  I  can  confidently  recommend  its  utility. 
Strychnia  Sulphate. — Commercial  strychnia  sulphate,  C21H22N2 
03,112804+21120,  crystallizes  in  needles.  The  water  is  expelled  at 
150°C.  To  prepare  the  neutral  sulphate,  (C2iH22N202)2H2S04,  a  solu- 
tion of  the  acid  sulphate  is  divided  into  two  equal  portions,  one-half 
is  precipitated  by  ammonia,  and  the  precipitate  is  added  to  the  other 
part  of  the  solution,,  and  the  mixture  boiled.  On  cooling  the  liquid 
deposits  the  neutral  salt  in  transparent  prisms,  containing  5  molecules 
II2O.  The  crystals  are  anhydrous  at  200°.  By  the  spontaneous  eva- 
poration of  an  aqueous  solution  of  this  salt  transparent  pyramids 
belonging  to  the  quadratic  system  are  obtained.  These  crystals  con- 
tain 6  molecules  HgO. — C.  Rammelsberg,  in  Berlchte,  1881,  p.  1231 ; 
Jour.  Chem.  Soc. 
