Am.  Jour,  Pharm.  \ 
November,  1898.  j 
Cantharis  Vesicatoria. 
549 
in  a  green  fixed  oil;  but  this  is  no  doubt  due  to  the  presence  of  can- 
tharidin,  which  is  soluble  to  some  extent  in  the  oil. 
A  portion  of  the  powdered  cantharides  was  treated  with  carbon 
disulphide  and  set  aside  to  macerate.  On  decanting  the  liquid  and 
subjecting  it  to  spontaneous  evaporation,  a  thick,  dark  brownish- 
green  oleaginous  matter  was  obtained,  which  was  insoluble  in  alco- 
hol, soluble  in  ether,  chloroform  and  benzin.  It  melted  at  1 8° 
C,  below  which  it  was  solid.  It  was  entirely  soluble  in  excess 
of  ether,  which  on  partial  evaporation  separated  out  a  yellowish- 
brown  fat;  when  entirely  evaporated  and  the  fat  separated  by  filtra- 
tion, a  light  pea-green  oil  was  obtained,  which  raised  a  small  blister 
in  eight  hours  without  any  covering,  the  oil  being  placed  on  the 
back  of  the  hand.  Alcohol  and  water  both  dissolve  an  extractive 
matter.   The  alcoholic  extract  was  soluble  in  ether  and  acetic  ether. 
A  separate  portion  of  the  powdered  beetle,  on  treatment  with 
chloroform,  yielded,  after  evaporation,  an  abundance  of  crystals  of 
cantharidin  along  with  dark  fatty  matter,  which  was  removed  by 
CS2  and  the  cantharidin  redissolved  in  a  fresh  portion  of  chloroform 
and  recrystallized.  A  small  portion  of  this  cantharidin  raised  a 
large,  painful  blister  in  four  hours  on  the  same  part  of  the  hand  to 
which  the  oil  was  applied.  The  distillation  of  the  powdered  can- 
tharides with  water  affords  a  volatile  principle  which  is  vesicating. 
While  treating  the  powder  that  was  used  in  the  distillation  with  alco- 
hol and  then  evaporating  the  solution  by  means  of  heat,  I  stood 
over  it  at  intervals  stirring  with  a  glass  rod.  At  night  I  was  much 
annoyed  by  a  scratching  sensation  in  closing  the  lids  over  the  eyes. 
Next  morning  intense  inflammation  had  set  in.  On  consulting  a 
physician  he  stated  that  I  must  have  been  using  some  irritating 
substance  in  my  eyes.  I  was  compelled  to  stay  in  a  dark  room  for 
twenty-four  hours;  for  a  few  days  after  had  to  use  a  shade. 
Boric  acid,  6  gr.,  camphor  water,  and  distilled  water,  *it 
using  three  drops  in  each  eye  allayed  the  irritation.  I  noticed  that 
the  irritation  of  the  left  eye  was  much  worse  than  the  right.  In  stir- 
ring the  evaporating  solution  I  leaned  on  the  counter  with  my  left 
arm,  thus  exposing  the  left  eye  more  to  the  vapor. 
Camphor. — The  value  of  crude  camphor  exported  in  1897  from  North  For- 
mosa was  £121,938,  the  trade  being  mostly  in  the  hands  of  German  and 
Chinese  merchants.— Chem.  and  Drug.,  1898,  256. 
