Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
June,  1886. 
Chloral- Hydrate. 
281 
CHLOR  AL-HYD  RATE. 
(Abstracts  from  Theses.) 
Examination  of  Commercial  Specimens. — Charles  Erastus  Week, 
Ph.G.,  examined  six  different  specimens,  made  by  four  manufacturers, 
applying  first  the  tests  of  identity  given  in  the  Pharmacopoeia,  with 
which  all  the  samples  fairly  agreed.  Dissolved  in  diluted  alcohol, 
one  sample  showed  no  reaction  on  blue  litmus  paper,  while  a  faint 
acid  reaction  was  observed  with  one,  and  a  more  decidedly  acid  re- 
action with  four  samples.  On  acidulating  the  solutions  with  nitric 
acid  and  testing  with  nitrate  of  silver,  one  was  not  disturbed,  while 
the  other  five  were  rendered  more  or  less  turbid.  Warmed  with  an 
equal  volume  of  sulphuric  acid,  all  the  samples  liquefied  without 
becoming  black;  and,  on  evaporating  the  mixture  by  heat,  no  residue 
was  left.  On  treating  the  warm  aqueous  solution  with  potassa  solu- 
tion, and  the  clear  filtrate  with  iodine  until  it  acquired  a  yellow  color, 
no  yellow  precipitate  took  place  on  standing,  but  a  very  faint  odor  of 
iodoform  was  observed  from  three  of  the  samples,  while  the  remaining 
three  samples  gave,  on  standing,  also  slight  precipitates. 
Three  specimens  of  chloral-hydrate,  examined  by  Joseph  V.  Roberts, 
Ph.G.,  were  found  to  be  free  from  alcoholate  by  the  total  absence  of  a 
precipitate  of  iodoform  after  proper  treatment.  Two  of  the  samples 
were  neutral  to  test  paper,  in  diluted  alcohol  solution,  and  gave  no 
turbidity  with  silver  nitrate,  while  a  precipitate  was  produced  with 
the  third  specimen,  the  reaction  of  which  was  decidedly  acid. 
Chloral-hydrate  and  .Phenol. — The  liquefied  mixture  of  the  two 
compounds  was  placed  in  a  freezing  mixture  by  J.  V.  Roberts,  but 
did  not  congeal ;  the  hot  aqueous  solution,  treated  with  ammonia  and 
nitrate  of  silver,  readily  gave  a  metallic  mirror. 
Chloral-hydrate  and  Camphor. — The  results  of  the  experiments  were 
the  same  as  in  the  preceding  case. 
Poisoning-  toy  Camphor.— Dr.  J.  P.  Eyan  (Austral.  Med.  Jour.)  reports  the 
case  of  a  lady,  who  suffered  from  poisonous  symptoms  on  eating  a  piece  of  cam- 
phor, which  weighed  about  20  grains.  She  began  eating  the  camphor  at  two 
o'clock,  passed  through  a  condition  resembling  intoxication,  and  at  three  was 
nearly  unconscious  and  in  a  semi-collapsed  state.  She  was  treated  with  20  grains 
of  zinc  sulphate,  which  was  followed  by  free  vomiting,  and  afterwards  with  am- 
monia and  strong  coffee.  The  interest  of  the  case  lies  in  the  smallness  of  the 
amount  which  could  have  been  absorbed,  and  which  is  considerably  under  the 
amounts  given  for  prescription  in  Wood  and  Ringer. — Med.  Chronicle,  Jan.  1886. 
