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MODE  OF  ANALYSIS  FOR  ORGANIC  POISONS. 
the  percolate  which  does  not  separate  in  layers,  and  regarding  the 
residue  as  tannic  acid,  is  altogether  inadmissible,  as  it  gives  a  very 
impure  product. — Pharm.  Joum.  from  Archiv.  der  Pharmacie, 
December,  1852. 
NEW  METHOD  OF  ANALYSIS  FOR  THE  ORGANIC  POISONS. 
By  C.  Flandin. 
The  author  commences  by  laying  down  the  principles  on  which 
he  supposes  the  action  of  poisons  may  be  explained : — 1.  Poisons 
are  unassimilable  substances.  2.  They  pass  into  the  organism  by 
absorption.    3.  Their  action  is  that  of  presence. 
If  these  principles  be  correct,  it  follows  that  all  poisonous  sub- 
stances, whatever  they  may  be,  must  be  found  in  the  organs  with 
which  they  have  been  brought  into  contact,  or  to  which  they  have 
been  transported  by  absorption.  In  the  case  of  the  inorganic  poi- 
sons, experience  has  shown  that  there  is  no  exception  to  the  rule. 
It  still  remains  to  be  shown  that  the  same  rule  applies  to  the  or- 
ganic poisons. 
Christison  states,  with  regard  to  opium,  that  as  a  general  rule, 
the  medical  jurist  can  scarcely  obtain  satisfactory  proof  of  the 
existence  of  this  substance  by  the  best  methods  of  analysis  at  pres- 
ent known.  Now  the  best  methods  of  analysis  known  at  present 
for  ascertaining  the  presence  of  opium,  and  of  the  organic  proxi- 
mate principles  in  general,  consist  in  treating  the  suspected  sub- 
stances either  with  acetic  acid  or  alcohol,  filtering  the  liquid,  and 
evaporating  it  to  the  consistence  of  an  extract.  This  extract  is 
then  re-dissolved  in  water,  either  pure  or  acidified,  and  decolorized 
by  animal  charcoal,  or  the  animal  matters  are  precipitated  as  far  as 
possible  by  various  reagents  (such  as  subacetateof  lead,  sulphuret- 
ted hydrogen,  nitrate  of  silver,  &c.)  Lastly,  the  extractive  matter 
thus  obtained  is  tested  by  different  reagents,  such  as  nitric  acid  and 
perchloride  of  iron,  when  it  is  desired  to  ascertain  the  presence  of 
morphine,  the  active  principle  of  opium.  In  this  way,  however, 
no  satisfactory  results  can  be  obtained.  The  poison  is  not  isolated ; 
it  is  not  directly  acted  upon  by  the  reagents  ;  its  characteristic  pro- 
perties consequently  cannot  be  ascertained. 
The  author  considers  that  animal  substances  may  be  divided  as 
follows : — 1.  Proteine  or  albuminous  substances.  2.  Coloring 
matter.    3.  Fatty  substances. 
