^ji°?  i87H4ARM'}    Detection  of  Digitalin  and  Atropia.  15 
Europe.  The  balsamic  substance  is  present,  however,  on  the  surface 
of  the  seed,  as  in  T.  balsamum,  but  in  less  quantity,  and  it  is  sunk 
into  the  crevices  of  the  seminal  envelope,  instead  of  being  deposited 
in  a  smooth  layer.  This  is  the  sole  difference  between  the  two  spe- 
cies of  the  genus  Toluifera  — Pharm.  Journ.,  Nov.  15,  1873. 
DETECTION  OF  DIGITALIN  AND  ATROPIA. 
By  H.  Brunner. 
The  detection  of  digitalin  in  toxicological  researches  is  very  diffi- 
cult. By  employing  the  method  of  Stas-Otto,  the  greater  part  of  this 
glucoside  is  obtained  from  the  acid  ethereal  solution  as  a  resinous 
body,  which  in  most  cases  does  not  give  the  characteristic  red  color 
with  sulphuric  acid  and  bromine-water.  The  smaller  portion  which  is 
found  in  the  alkaline-ethereal  solution,  cannot  be  distinguished  from 
delphinia  and  aconitia,  because  delphinia  gives  the  same  reaction 
with  sulphuric  acid  and  bromine,  and  both  alkaloids  yield  the  same 
results  with  the  phosphoric  acid  tes*t  as  digitalin.  The  latter  com- 
pound can,  however,  easily  be  detected  by  Pettenkofer's  test. 
On  adding  sulphuric  acid  to  a  dilute  solution  of  dried  bile  contain- 
ing a  trace  of  digitalin,  a  splendid  red  color  is  produced  as  soon  as 
the  temperature  rises  to  70°.  One  c.c.  of  a  decoction  of  0*3  gram  of 
foxglove-leaves  in  180  grams  of  water  gave  the  reaction  quite  dis- 
tinctly. 0*03  and  0*05  gram  of  digitalin  were  dissolved,  each  in  half 
a  litre  of  Bavarian  beer,  and  the  solutions  treated  by  the  method  of 
Stas-Otto  ;  no  digitalin  could  be  detected  in  the  residue  by  means  of 
bromine  and  sulphuric  acid,  whilst  the  least  trace  of  it,  after  being 
washed  with  water,  gave  an  intense  color  with  Pettenkofer's  test. 
Other  glucosides  give  the  same  reaction,  but  this  does  not  prevent  its 
application  in  a  toxicological  research,  if  the  physiological  effects  are 
also  taken  into  consideration.  A  similar  case  is  the  detection  of  the 
picrotoxin  be  means  of  Fehling's  solution,  which  is  also  reduced  by 
many  other  substances. 
The  residue  obtained  from  the  acid  ethereal  solution  may  also  con- 
tain lactic  acid,  tartaric  acid,  colchicia,  and  traces  of  atropia  and  pic- 
rotoxin, but  these  bodies  are  not  colored  by  Pettenkofer's  test,  nor 
are  other  alkaloids  affected  by  it,  with  the  exception  of  narcotia  and 
others  which  give  a  red  color  with  sulphuric  acid  alone. 
The  most  characteristic  tests  of  atropia  are  the  dilatation  of  the 
