456  THE  PREPARATIONS  OF  CONIUM,  ETC. 
even  in  the  latter  patient,  who  was  already  predisposed  for  its 
action. 
Extract  without  the  chlorophyl. — This  was  of  the  consistence  of 
treacle,  and  had  a  similar  bright  and  clear,  but  a  richer  amber- 
brown,  color ;  odor  faintly  approaching  that  of  the  ordinary  ex- 
tract, taste  pleasantly  sweet  and  acidulous,  without  any  trace  of 
acridity.  Triturated  with  caustie  potash,  a  strong  odor  of  conia, 
mixed  ivith  that  of  ammonia,  is  evolved. 
1.  January  26,  1867.  Took  250  grains,  and  having  liquefied 
it  with  f  5i  solution  of  caustic  potash  (gr.  33  in  f  §i),  transferred 
the  mixture  to  a  retort,  and  distilled  from  a  chloride  of  calcium 
bath,  at  a  temperature  varying  from  260°  to  270°  E,  8f  fluid 
drachms  of  colorless  fluid,  with  a  faint  greasy  film,  passed  over, 
f  ^v  water,  containing  50  grains  of  caustic  potash,  were  now 
added  to  the  contents  of  the  retort,  and  distillation  continued  as 
long  as  alkaline  fluid  passed,  sviss  of  fluid  in  all,  was  ob- 
tained. The  conia  was  obtained  from  this  by  neutralization  with 
sulphuric  acid,  evaporation,  separation  of  the  sulphate  of  ammo- 
nia, decomposition  of  the  sulphate  of  conia  with  H  0,  K  O,  and 
separation  of  the  alkaloid  by  aether.  It  weighed  only  0*2  of  a 
grain. 
2.  By  the  process  adopted  in  the  separation  of  the  conia  from 
the  ordinary  extract  (see  above),  I  obtained  from  the  same 
quantity  (250  grs.)  of  this  extract  without  chlorophyl  exactly  one 
grain  of  bright  yellowish-brown  oily  fluid,  which  almost  wholly 
dissolved  in  dilute  sulphuric  acid.  It  was,  therefore,  nearly  pure 
conia. 
3.  February  13,  1867.  I  licked  up  5  grains  of  this  extract. 
March  10,  10  grains.  April  2,  15  grains.  April  3,  20  grains. 
No  effects  followed  either  dose ;  nor  could  I  obtain  the  slightest 
physiological  action  in  the  persons  of  two  delicate  women  by 
giving  the  extract  in  the  above-mentioned  closes.  To  produce 
the  slightest  evidence  of  the  presence  of  hemlock,  50  grains  at 
least  would  have  been  required,  but  the  doses  were  not  further 
increased;  for  to  be  of  any  practical  value,  the  extract  should 
•contain  such  a  proportion  of  conia  that  its  effects  may  be  mani- 
fested after  a  dose  of  10  or,  at  most,  20  grains. 
It  would  not  be  fair,  perhaps,  to  conclude  from  the  foregoing 
