664     Detection  of  Cocaine,  Heroine  and  Veronal.  {AlQC-T00^rr 
the  nose,  and  submitted  to  chemical  examination.  One  sixth  of  a 
grain  is  stated  to  have  produced  fatal  results,  and  one  thirtieth  of  a 
grain  has  produced  dangerous  symptoms. 
A  fatal  case  of  poisoning,  described  by  \Y.  R.  Boyd  in  the  Med- 
ical Journal  of  Australia.,  is  quoted  in  the  Lancet  of  May  3  of  this 
year.  In  this  case.  6.07  grains  of  heroine  were  administered  in 
mistake  for  veronal,  death  ensuing  seventy  hours  later,  only  %4 
grain  of  morphine  being  found  in  the  organs. 
Heroine  hydrochloride  is  a  white  crystalline  substance  with  a 
bitter  taste,  easily  soluble  in  water,  and  having  a  melting-point  of 
230°  C.j  differing  in  this  respect  from  morphine  hydrochloride, 
which  chars  without  melting. 
It  resembles  morphine  in  its  reactions  with  Fronde's  solution, 
ferric  chloride,  and  also  with  iodic  acid  and  starch,  but  the  colours 
produced  are  slightly  slower  in  appearing.  A  2  per  cent,  solution 
of  hexamethylene  tetramine  in  strong  sulphuric  acid  gives  a  line 
purple  color  very  slowly  turning  blue,  but  in  this  instance  also  a 
very  similar  reaction  is  yielded  by  morphine  and  its  salts.  The 
sodium  phospho-molybdate  precipitate  dissolves  in  ammonia  to  a 
blue  color  practically  identical  with  that  given  by  salts  of  morphine 
under  similar  conditions. 
Cocaine.  Cl7H21N04. — The  hydrochloride,  the  usual  form  in 
which  this  alkaloid  is  found  in  commerce,  occurs  in  white  prismatic 
crystals,  strikingly  soluble  in  water  (2  in  1)  with  a  melting-point 
of  1860  C. 
It  is  employed  medicinally  as  a  local  anesthetic  in  minor  opera- 
tions of  the  eye.  throat,  and  mouth,  but  it  has  recently  come  into 
prominence  from  its  illegitimate  employment  as  a  snuff.  Its  physio- 
logical effect  appears  at  first  to  be  stimulating,  but  this  is  sooner  or 
later  followed  by  lassitude  and.  in  excessive  doses,  by  a  state  of 
coma.  It  causes  dilatation  of  the  pupil  and  usually  disturbances  of 
the  nervous  system.  The  bod}"  soon  becomes  tolerant  to  the  drug, 
and.  in  the  case  of  habitual  takers,  little  or  none  may  be  found  in 
the  organs  after  death.  In  this  respect  it  would  appear  to  resemble 
morphine  (ct.  Webster.  Analyst.  1917.  42.  226). 
In  addition  to  its  distinctive  melting-point  of  9S0  C,  this  alkaloid 
is  characterized  by  the  following  reactions : 
It  possesses  a  bitter  taste  followed  by  a  somewhat  prolonged 
numbness  of  the  tongue.    When  evaporated  to  dryness  with  a  few 
