212  A  Singular  Reaction.  \  Amd™rJ%!rm- 
Syrup,  pruni  virg.,  ....  f^ii 
Syrup,  tolu., 
Syrup,  scillae,  .              .              .  ad  f^i 
Tinct.  lobelias, 
Spt.  aether,  nitrosi,  .              .  .  .ad  f£ii 
Morphias  sulph.,  .               .              ,  .  gr.  i 
M.  ft.  solut.    Sig.,  a  teaspoonful. 
The  writer  was  requested  to  look  into  the  subject,  and  this  was  done 
with  considerable  interest  as  one  point  after  another  was  developed. 
1st.  The  prescription  was  compounded  as  given  above,  when  the 
effect  of  the  change  in  color  was  distinctly  observed,  as  noticed  by 
Mr.  Hall. 
2d.  The  various  ingredients  were  put  together  without  the  syrup  of 
wild  cherry.  No  change  in  color  was  discovered  on  standing  twenty- 
four  hours. 
3d.  All  of  the  ingredients  were  mixed  together,  leaving  out  syrup  of 
tolu.  The  change  in  color  takes  place  on  standing  ;  the  mixture 
darkens  and  assumes  a  green  tint. 
4th.  In  this,  syrup  of  squill  was  omitted — all  of  the  other  ingredi- 
ents combined.  The  liquid  becomes  darker  red,  but  does  not  change 
to  green. 
5th.  Tincture  of  lobelia  was  left  out  in  this  experiment.  The 
change  took  place  readily,  the  mixture  becoming  quite  as  green  as  in 
No.  1. 
6th,  All  of  the  ingredients  were  mixed  together  except  the  spirit  of 
nitrous  ether.  The  reaction  did  not  take  place — but  little  change  was 
noticed. 
7th.  Sulphate  of  morphia  was  omitted.  The  change  in  this  case 
very  decided.    The  mixture  assumes  a  dark  green  color. 
These  results  pointed  to  the  fact  that  syrup  of  wild-cherry,  spirit  of 
nitrous  ether  and  syrup  of  squill  were  alone  concerned  in  the  reaction, 
with  little  if  any  interference  on  the  part  of  tincture  of  lobelia. 
Spirit  of  nitrous  ether  and  syrup  of  wild-cherry,  when  mixed  to- 
gether, acquired  a  greater  depth  of  color,  but  did  not  become  green. 
When  syrup  of  squill  was  added,  however,  the  green  tint  began  to  de- 
velop, and  when  allowed  to  stand  as  long  as  in  No.  I,  the  shade  was 
nearly  the  same. 
From  the  peculiar  coloration  and  its  method  of  development,  the 
