60 
ON  THE  DETECTION  OF  STRYCHNINE. 
potash  ;  the  reaction  persisted  as  long  as  with  pure  strychnine, 
the  blue  color  gradually  passing  to  violet  and  then  to  red. 
b.  With  a  mixture  of  1  part  by  weight  of  strychnine  with  10 
parts  of  tartrate  of  antimony,  the  reaction  occurred  just  as 
rapidly  and  certainly,  and  persisted  nearly  as  long  as  with  the 
preceding  mixture, 
o.  With  1  part  of  strychnine  and  20  parts  of  tartrate  of  anti- 
mony, the  reaction  lost  somewhat  in  duration,  but  not  in  cer- 
tainty and  beauty. 
d.  With  1  part  of  strychnine  and  30  parts  of  tartrate  of  anti- 
mony, the  duration  of  the  reaction  was  plainly  diminished  ;  it 
nevertheless  occurred  quite  distinctly.  Towards  the  end  of  the 
reaction  the  mass  acquired  a  greenish  tinge. 
With  a  mixture  of  1  part  of  strychnine  with  60  parts  of  tar- 
trate of  antimony,  the  reaction  was  still  distinctly  recognizable 
by  a  practised  eye,  but  disappeared  very  rapidly,  the  fluid  ac- 
quiring a  greenish  color.  The  same  result  was  obtained  with 
mixtures  of  tartaric  acid  and  strychnine. 
From  these  experiments  it  appears  that  this  reaction  for 
strychnine  is  one  of  the  most  sensitive  with  which  we  are  ac- 
quainted, and  that  von  Sicherer's  statements  mu3t  be  founded 
in  error.  As,  however,  it  could  not  be  supposed  that  they  had 
no  foundation  in  fact,  the  author  tried  mixtures  of  salts  of  strych- 
nine with  tartrate  of  antimony  in  various  proportions.  He  ob- 
tained the  following  results  : — 
With  an  intimate  mixture  of  1  part  of  nitrate  of  strychnine 
and  20  parts  of  tartrate  of  antimony,  the  reaction  with  bichro- 
mate of  potash  and  sulphuric  acid  does  not  occur ;  the  mass 
almost  instantly  acquires  a  green  color.  But  up  to  these  pro- 
portions the  reaction  occurs  even  here. 
With  muriate  of  strychnine,  the  reaction  is  still  recognizable 
with  mixtures  of  1  part  of  the  salt  with  30  parts  of  tartrate  of 
antimony.    This  is  the  case  also  with  acetate  of  strychnine. 
The  reaction  for  strychnine  with  peroxide  of  lead  and  sul- 
phuric acid  is  not  in  the  least  affected  by  .the  presence  of  tar- 
trate of  antimony,  other  tartrates,  or  free  tartaric  acid,  whether 
pure  strychnine  or  its  salts  be  employed  in  the  experiments. 
The  reaction  occurs  with  perfect  certainty  with  proportions  of  1 
to  60  ;  the  author  considers  pure  sulphuric  acid  to  be  preferable 
to  that  containing  nitric  acid,  when  tartrates  are  present. 
