Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  > 
July  1, 1872.  J" 
On  Lobelina. 
293 
Pulvis pectoralis  Wedelii. — Hager,  in  his  Manuale  pharmaceuticum, 
gives  the  following  formula :  liquorice  root,  8  p. ;  orris  root,  2  p.  ; 
sulphur,  4  p.  ;  benzoin,  1J  p.  ;  sugar,  16  p.  ;  oil  of  fennel  and  of 
anise,  each  \  parts. 
The  proportions  of  the  Danish  pharmacopoeia  are  :  liquorice  and 
orris  root,  each  6  p. ;  sulphur,  4  p ;  benzoic  acid,  1  p.  ;  sugar,  16  p.  ; 
oil  of  fennel  and  of  anise,  each  \  part. 
The  formula  of  the  Wurtemberg  pharmacopoeia  of  1798  was  as  fol- 
lows :  Arum  maculatum  (Indian  turnip),  orris  root,  diaphoretic  anti- 
mony, flowers  of  sulphur,  native  cinnabar  and  crab's  eyes,  equal  parts. 
ON  LOBELINA. 
By  W.  D.  Richardson,  Jr. 
From  the  authors  Inaugural  Address. 
Lobelina  has  a  light  yellowish  color  and  somewhat  aromatic  odor. 
It  is  lighter  than  water,  and  when  dropped  into  that  fluid  rises  to  its 
surface,  spreads  out  like  a  drop  of  oil,  and  gradually  dissolves,  form- 
ing a  transparent  solution.  It  has  an  extremely  acrid  taste,  turns 
turmeric  paper  brown,  and  restores  the  blue  color  to  litmus  reddened 
by  an  acid.  It  neutralizes  the  acids,  forming  with  most  of  them  crys- 
tallizable  salts.  The  acetate  of  lobelina  does  not  crystallize,  and  is 
the  most  soluble  of  the  salts  ;  hence  the  superiority  of  acetic  over 
the  other  acids  in  the  process  for  obtaining  "the  alkaloid. 
The  salts  are  very  soluble  in  water,  less  in  alcohol,  and  sparingly 
soluble  in  ether  ;  whereas  lobelina  is  most  soluble  in  ether,  and  least 
in  water.  In  its  natural  state  it  is  combined  with  lobelic  acid,  for 
which  it  has  a  rather  weak  affinity. 
One  of  the  most  interesting  properties  of  this  alkaloid  is  its  decom- 
position, either  in  the  free  state  or  as  it  exists  in  the  herb,  by  heat ; 
that  of  boiling  water  being  sufficient  to  deprive  it  of  its  characteristic 
acrid  taste  :  but,  on  being  combined  with  a  strong  acid,  it  may  be 
subjected  to  heat  without  injury. 
The  separation  of  lobelina  from  its  aqueous  solution,  by  means  of 
ether,  is  not  complete,  both  on  account  of  the  gelatinous  consistence 
imparted  to  the  lower  position  of  the  ether,  and  its  affinity  for  the 
coloring  matter,  which  is  more  soluble  in  water  than  in  ether,  as 
demonstrated  by  the  following  experiment  of  preparing  lobelina  by 
Prof.  Procter's  process. 
