REMARKS  ON  ERGOT. 
548 
the  acid  it  contains.  Further ;  the  odor  of  recently  dried  conium 
is  not  that  of  conia,  but  of  a  peculiar  volatile  oil.  But  if  conium 
is  allowed  to  get  old,  the  coniate  of  conia  is  gradually  decom- 
posed, the  mouse  odor  of  the  alkaloid  is  given  off,  and  the  origi- 
nal conium  odor  greatly  modified.  Now  the  question  arises, 
does  there  occur  a  gradual  atmospheric  decomposition  of  the 
natural  salt  in  ergot,  as  of  that  in  conium  ?  Water  distilled 
from  ergot  does  not  possess  its  peculiar  odor ;  on  the  contrary, 
the  decoction  in  the  still  retains  the  ergot  smell,  which  is  en- 
hanced and  modified  by  the  addition  of  liquor  potassse.  On  the 
contrary,  a  few  drops  of  diluted  sulphuric  or  muriatic  acid  en- 
tirely destroys  the  ergot  odor  of  the  decoction.  May  we  not 
plausibly  infer  from  this  that  the  natural  odor  of  the  ergot  is 
due  to  secalin  loosely  held  by  the  organic  acid  of  ergot,  modified 
by  associated  matters  ?  and  as  a  consequence  of  this  inference, 
does  it  not  follow  that  an  acidulated  menstruum  should  be  used 
in  treating  ergot,  when  its  solution  is  to  be  evaporated  ?  It  may 
be  asked,  will  the  replacement  of  ergotic  acid  by  a  stronger 
acid  affect  the  therapeutic  or  physiological  action  of  ergot  ?  It 
is  thought  not,  because  in  all  cases  of  alkaloids  the  salts  are 
more  active,  because  more  soluble  ;  yet  this  point  is  easily  settled 
by  trial,  which  want  of  time  alone  prevents.  In  view  of  these 
several  points,  the  following  formula  for  fluid  extract  of  ergot  is 
offered  : 
Fluid  Extract  of  Ergot. 
Take  of  Ergot,  in  powder,        eight  ounces  (Troy.) 
Ether,  1 
Water^'  *>°^  eaC^  a  su®c*enfc  quantity. 
Diluted  Acetic  Acid,  j 
Pack  the  ergot  moderately  in  a  suitable  percolator,  and  pour 
on  ether  slowly,  until  a  pint  and  a  half  of  tincture  has  passed, 
and  having  spread  the  residue  of  the  ergot  on  paper,  suffer  the 
adhering  ether  to  pass  off  by  evaporation.  Meanwhile  agitate 
well  the  ethereal  tincture  with  two  fluid  ounces  of  diluted  acetic 
acid,  and  in  a  proper  distillatory  arrangement  recover  the  ether  by 
aid  of  a  water  bath  heat.  Add  two  fluid  ounces  of  water  to  the 
oily  residue,  agitate,  and  when  subsided  decant  the  oil  from  the 
watery  fluid,  and  set  them  separately  aside. 
