AFebJr0uUaryTi9a^u"}       Two  Toxico logical  Investigations.  93 
rendered  alkaline  with  ammonium  hydroxide  and  then  sufficient 
acetic  acid  added  to  render  just  acid  and  again  extracted  with  por- 
tions of  chloroform  as  long  as  coloring  was  removed.  It  was  then 
again  rendered  alkaline  with  ammonium  hydroxide  and  extracted 
with  chloroform  as  alkaloid.  This  process  of  purification  was 
repeated  until  the  resulting  alkaloidal  residue  was  pure  white  and 
crystalline.  A  considerable  portion  of  the  alkaloid  was  undoubt- 
edly lost  in  this  process  of  purification,  but  the  resulting  alkaloid  in 
each  case  was  finally  pure,  and  gave  clearly  and  sharply  the  charac- 
teristic color  reaction  with  sulphuric  acid,  and  oxidizing  agents. 
The  pure  strychnine  thus  isolated  from  the  stomach  and  contents 
weighed  5  milligrammes,  equivalent  to  ^  of  a  grain. 
A  minute  quantity  of  the  recovered  alkaloid  was  dissolved  in 
water  acidulated  with  a  trace  of  acetic  acid,  and  injected  under  the 
skin  of  a  frog.  His  breathing  became  quick  and  hasty,  and  in  a  few 
seconds  he  attempted  to  jump,  and  his  hind  legs,  after  one  or  two 
jumps,  became  quite  stiff,  and  in  four  minutes  after  the  injection  he 
attempted  to  jump  but  fell  over  on  his  back,  and  could  not  get  up 
again,  and  he  continued  in  this  attitude,  having  tetanic  convulsions, 
with  straightening  of  the  limbs,  arching  of  back,  etc.  At  the  least 
touch  there  would  be  produced  the  characteristic  strychnine  tetanic 
spasms,  and  death  finally  resulted. 
The  portion  of  the  liver  weighed  320  grammes  and  was  subjected 
to  the  same  method  of  examination  as  the  stomach.  The  coloring 
matters  here  present  clung  very  tenaciously  to  the  alkaloidal  residue 
and  a  pure  white  product  was  obtained  only  after  several  purifica- 
tions. The  isolated  pure  white  strychnine  weighed  1*7  milligrammes, 
equivalent  to  -JL  grain. 
The  two  kidneys  weighed  394  grammes,  and  the  entire  amount 
was  used  in  the  examination.  The  recovered  purified  alkaloid 
weighed  2-2  milligrammes,  equivalent  to  ^  grain  of  strychnine. 
The  total  amount  of  strychnine  recovered  from  these  organs 
amounted  to  8-9  milligrammes,  equivalent  to  l  of  a  grain  or  a  little 
more  than  l  grain  of  strychnine  sulphate.  The  total  weight  of  the 
organs  examined  was  approximately  2^  pounds.  The  recovered 
alkaloid  in  each  of  the  three  determinations  was  pure,  colorless  and 
gave  the  characteristic  color  reactions  and  the  physiological  test  for 
strychnine. 
The  indictment  against  Mrs.  Phares  was  moved  at  Mount  Holly 
