ON LOBELINA. 
3 
that the salts of Dr. C. were mixtures severally of the acids 
which gave them names, with the impure hydrochlorate of lo- 
belina. 
Speaking of the active principle, the Doctor remarks, " It is 
very soluble in alcohol ; scarcely, if at all, in ether : in this 
respect it differs from nicotine : the active principle of Lobe- 
lia inflata does not even color ether to which it has been add- 
ed" This declaration is a further evidence that the active 
principle of Dr.Colhoun was not lobelina, for of all the solvents 
of that base, none dissolve it so readily as ether : and as Dr. 
C.'s principle was insoluble in that menstruum, it follows that, 
if lobelina, it must have been combined with an acid, in which, 
state it is much less soluble in ether. 
In a work on Materia Medica by Jonathan Pereira, profes- 
sor of Materia Medica, &c. &c, at London, published in 1840. 
is the following under the head of Lobelia inflata, viz. : 
" Composition. No accurate analysis of this plant has 
hitherto been made. Dr. Colhoun has announced the existence 
of a peculiar principle in this plant. From some experiments I 
have recently made on lobelia, I find that it contains a vola- 
tile acrid principle, (oil ?) an acid, (peculiar ?) resin, gum, 
&c. &c. 
" Vol. acrid principle. Water distilled from lobelia has 
the peculiar smell and nauseous acrid taste of the plant. In 
one experiment I obtained a thin film, of what appeared to be 
a solid volatile oil. The distilled water is unaffected by 
acids, sesquichloride of iron, or tincture of galls." 
" Jin acid (lobelic acid ?) A decoction of lobelia reddens 
litmus, and becomes on the addition of sesquichloride of iron 
of a dark olive brown, and in a short time a precipitate is 
formed. (Lobeliate of iron.) Sulphate of copper gives rise 
to a green precipitate. (Lobeliate of copper.) Nitrate of sil- 
ver causes a slight precipitate. (Lobeliate of silver.") 
The object for which the above extracts are inserted is to 
notice their contents in detail. 
1st. Professor Pereira states that he has obtained a volatile 
acrid principle from the Lobelia inflata which he infers to 
