Amoctu,ri87h7arm'}  Strychnia  with  certain  Saline  Solutions,  505 
strychnia  had  either  never  been  dissolved,  or  had  separated  from  the 
strongly  saline  solution  after  it  was  dispensed.  The  latter  I  suspected 
to  be  the  truth,  and  I  accordingly  made  a  few  experiments,  demon- 
strating the  possibility  at  least  that  this  was  the  explanation  of  an  acci- 
dent that  seemed  to  inculpate  either  the  physician  or  the  apothecary. 
Having  prepared  a  neutral  solution  of  strychnia  sulphate,  containing 
one  grain  to  the  ounce,  I  attempted  to  dissolve  in  it  potassium  bromide 
to  saturation.  A  bulky  crvstalline  precipitate  of  a  strychnia  salt 
(doubtless  hydrobromate)  at  once  formed.  With  smaller  proportions 
of  the  bromide  the  precipitation  did  not  take  place  so  rapidly.  When 
the  quantity  did  not  exceed  two  drachms  to  the  ounce,  crystals  formed 
only  after  an  interval  of  some  minutes,  and  the  same  result  was 
obtained  in  experiments  where  the  quantity  of  strychnia  was  reduced. 
The  precipitated  salt  of  strychnia  was  not  perceptibly  redissolved  by 
the  addition  of  a  considerable  excess  of  hydrobromic  or  of  sulphuric 
acid. 
Substituting  sodium  bromide  for  the  potassium  salt,  I  obtained  similar 
results,  although  the  strychnia  did  not  appear  to  be  so  completely 
thrown  out  of  solution  as  by  the  latter  salt.  Potassium  iodide,  three 
drachms  to  the  fluidounce,  produced  at  once  a  crystalline  precipitate  in 
a  solution  containing  one  grain  of  strychnia  to  the  ounce.  Sodium 
chloride  gave  results  very  similar  to  those  obtained  from  potassium 
bromide.  Thirty  per  cent,  of  the  salt,  dissolved  in  a  one  grain  solution 
of  strychnia,  rendered  it  quite  thick  with  the  precipitated  salt.  Even 
eight  per  cent,  induced  a  prompt  crystallization  of  the  strychnia  salt. 
Finally,  I  compounded  the  prescription  given  above  strictly  secundum 
artem,  dissolving  first  the  strychnia,  then  the  potassium  bromide  in 
water,  and  adding  the  syrup  ;  in  a  short  time  a  crystalline  preciiptate 
began  to  form,  and  now,  at  the  end  of  twelve  hours,  there  is  a  con- 
siderable sediment  in  the  bottom  of  the  bottle,  which  doubtless  con- 
tains a  considerable  proportion  of  the  strychnia. 
I  have  made  a  few  experiments  with  other  salts,  such  as  potassium 
nitrate,  sodium  sulphate,  etc.,  but  do  not  find  that  they  diminish  the 
solubility  of  strychnia  to  the  same  extent  as  the  chlorides,  bromides 
and  iodides.  I  propose  to  give  the  whole  subject  a  more  careful 
examination,  and  to  communicate  the  results  at  some  future  time  ;  but 
meanwhile  I  have  judged  the  facts  already  observed  to  be  of  sufficient 
importance  to  both  physician  and  pharmacist  to  demand  that  they  be 
