458  Chemistry  of  Strophanthin.  {Am'sipt.r'Sfrm" 
organic  acids,  resolve  strophanthin,  even  in  the  cold,  into  glucose  and 
a  substance  which  the  author  names  strophanthidin.  A  very  pretty 
crystallization  of  the  latter  may  be  obtained  in  a  few  hours,  when 
strophanthin  is  dissolved  in  a  1*5  per  cent,  solution  of  sulphuric  acid. 
When  strophanthin  was  decomposed  at  the  ordinary  temperature  by 
contact  for  four  days  with  1*5  per  cent,  sulphuric  acid,  there  were 
obtained  37*5  per  cent,  of  strophanthidin  in  crystals,  and  about  20  per 
cent,  of  glucose,  but  the  estimation  of  the  latter  with  Fehling's  solu- 
tion is  uncertain  on  account  of  the  green  coloration,  developed  in  the 
fluid.  The  strophanthidin  having  been  removed  by  nitration,  and  the 
almost  colorless  bitter  and  acid  liquid  having  been  boiled  for  four 
hours,  it  was  now  found  that  the  glucose  had  increased  to  26.64  per 
cent,  and  that  about  4*3  per  cent,  of  an  amorphous  substance  had  been 
formed. 
This  action  of  acids  renders  it  apparent  that  an  acid,  and  especially 
a  mineral  acid,  should  not  be  used  in  the  preparation  of  strophanthin. 
Thus  in  1877,  some  years  after  the  author's  first  communication  on 
the  subject,  Hardy  and  Gallois  described  a  process  in  which  by  using, 
for  the  extraction  of  the  seeds,  rectified  spirit  acidified  with  hydro- 
chloric acid,  they  obtained  a  crystalline  product  which  they  believed 
to  be  strophanthin.  There  can  be  little  doubt,  however,  that  their 
product  was  strophanthidin,  not  only  because  the  process  employed 
would  decompose  the  strophanthin  into  strophanthidin  and  glucose, 
but  also  because  their  crystallized  product  was  found  not  to  yield  glu- 
cose when  heated  with  dilute  sulphuric  acid.  Hence  they  conclude 
that  strophanthin  is  not  a  glucoside.1  The  glucosidal  character  of 
strophanthin  has  now  been  amply  demonstrated  from  many  experi- 
ments made  by  Professor  Fraser,  and  by  subsequent  observers,  espe- 
cially by  A.  W.  Gerrard.2  The  glucose  was  not  only  determined  by 
Fehling's  solution  but  also  by  fermentation  with  yeast. 
Cocaine  in  croup. — Labric  praises  cocaine  as  the  best  remedy  for 
croup.  He  applies  a  brush  dipped  in  a  five  per  cent,  solutionof  cocaine  to 
the  throat  for  several  seconds ;  a  few  drops  are  allowed  to  go  down  into 
the  larynx.  The  operation  is  repeated  two  or  three  times  a  day,  and 
nothing  but  a  little  black  coffee  is  administered  to  the  patient. — X.  E.  Med. 
Monthly. 
1  Jour,  de  Pharm.,  xxv,,  177. 
2  Pharm.  Jour.,  May  14, 1887-    Amer.  Jour  Phar.,  August,  p.  426. 
