Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Aug.,  1886. 
Polygonum  Hydropiper. 
375 
the  blood,  are  examined,  and  from  these  contents  the  poison  is  ex- 
tracted either  by  Otto's,  Stas'  or  DragendorfPs  methods. 
After  having  separated  it,  the  only  chemical  tests  that  we  have  are 
the  reactions  of  the  double  iodides  of  bismuth  and  potassium  and 
iodide  of  mercury  and  potassium.  They  produce  precipitates  in 
solutions  of  these  alkaloids  'tis  true,  but  they  do  the  same  with  other 
alkaloids.  And  that  the  mydriatic  alkaloids  precipitate  mercuric 
oxide  from  a  solution  of  mercuric  chloride  does  not  help  the  case  one 
particle,  for  all  of  the  caustic  alkaloids  do  the  same.  But  such  a 
minute  portion,  as  1  part  in  130,000  parts  of  water,  will  produce 
dilatation  of  the  pupil  in  the  cat.  Now,  upon  which  would  you 
rely,  the  physiological  action,  or  upon  the  chemical  reaction?  For 
my  part,  I  would  have  no  hesitancy  in  saying  that  the  man  died 
from  atropine  poisoning.  And,  that  it  would  be  poor  chemistry  to 
judge  of  a  crystalline  residue,  under  the  microscope,  is  simply 
absurd.  If  this  is  true,  what  would  become  of  organic  chemistry, 
urinology,  histology,  minute  anatomy,  physiology  and  pathology? 
If  the  gentlemen  labor  under  that  erroneous  impression,  I  would 
advise  thpm,  in  a  most  friendly  manner,  to  read  Lehmann,  Frey, 
Yirchow,  and  others.  And  after  they  have  perused  these  works 
carefully,  they  will  arrive  at  the  conclusion  that  the  microscope  is  the 
greatest  aid  to  all  scientific  investigations  that  we  possess. 
Ad  4. — The  very  fact  of  the  gentlemen  not  being  able  to  isolate  the 
acid,  when  they  had  a  working  process  before  them,  is  sufficient 
proof  of  "  imperfect  manipulation."  If  that  will  not  suffice,  I  will 
refer  them  to  the  ether  extract  in  their  own  analysis. 
Ad  6. — The  suggestion  to  "send  10  gms.  of  the  so-called  poly- 
gonic  acid,"  &c,  brings  the  whole  matter  down  to  a  question  of 
veracity,  and,  as  I  do  not  require  any  pharmaceutical  society  to 
verify  any  of  my  statements  (as  I  am  perfectly  competent  to  do  that 
myself),  I  shall  have  to  most  respectfully  decline  this  part  of  the 
gentlemen's  request.  But  I  can,  at  any  time,  give  evidence  of  gen- 
tlemen whose  veracity  is  unimpeachable,  and  whose  scientific  rating 
is  as  good  as  any  in  the  land. 
Ad  7. — The  evidence  other  than  physiological  action  and  micro- 
scopic crystals  I  will  furnish  with  pleasure. 
1st.  —  Polygonic  acid  is  crystalliz- 
able. 
2d. — Polygonic  acid  does  not  pre- 
cipitate gelatin. 
1st. — Tannic  acid  is  not. 
2d. — Tannic  acid  does. 
