I 
DOES  NICOTINA  EXIST  IN  GREEN  TOBACCO  ?  508 
Tobacco  seeds  are  exceedingly  diminutive,  of  a  brown  color, 
and,  as  viewed  through  the  microscope,  are  covered  with  pro- 
tuberances at  intervals  over  their  surface,  but  are  not  reticulated 
as  is  the  seed  of  Lobelia  inflata.  1.  They  contain  33  per  cent, 
of  fixed  oil,  which  may  readily  be  extracted  by  ether,  which 
also  takes  up  a  little  resin  easily  separable  from  the  oil  in  evap- 
oration. This  oil  has  a  light  brownish  color,  easily  oxidizes  by 
exposure,  and,  like  the  oil  of  lobelia  seed,  possesses  the  drying 
property.  The  odor  of  the  recently  bruised  seed  recalls  that  of 
castor  oil  beans  when  bruised,  though  not  so  decided. 
2.  Four  ounces  of  the  bruised  seed  were  macerated  in  alcohol 
of  65  per  cent,  for  two  weeks,  and  displaced  to  get  two  pints  of 
tincture.  This  was  evaporated  to  a  syrupy  extract  heated  with 
a  fluid  ounce  of  water,  and  forty  grains  of  magnesia.  After 
occasional  agitation  for  24  hours  the  liquid  was  filtered.  Its 
color  had  changed  darker,  and  a  decided  odor  developed.  It 
was  now  agitated  with  washed  ether  several  times,  and  the 
ethereal  liquid,  after  decantation,  evaporated.  A  small  quan- 
tity of  brown  semi-fluid  matter  resulted,  devoid  of  alkaline  reac- 
tion on  reddened  litmus  paper,  and  only  partially  soluble  in  water. 
3.  Four  ounces  of  the  bruised  seeds  were  exhausted  with  hot 
diluted  alcohol  slightly  acidified  with  sulphuric  acid.  The  tinc- 
ture was  evaporated  to  two  fluid  ounces,  half  an  ounce  of  liquor 
potassse  added,  the  mixture  poured  into  a  retort  previously  adapt- 
ed to  a  receiver,  and  heat  applied  until  three-fourths  of  the  liquid 
had  distilled.  The  tendency  to  froth  was  so  great,  that  caution 
was  required  in  conducting  the  distillation,  and  fearing  that 
the  distillate  might  be  slightly  contaminated  with  the  alkaline 
liquid  in  the  retort,  it  was  redistilled  in  a  clean  apparatus.  Thus 
obtained,  the  distillate  had  a  strong  peculiar  odor,  a  decided  al- 
kaline reaction,  but  did  not  answer  satisfactorily  to  the  tests 
for  nicotina.  It  was  not  precipitated  by  tannic  acid,  sesqui- 
chloride  of  iron  or  chloride  of  gold,  but  readily  by  acetate  of 
lead  and  corrosive  sublimate. 
4.  The  third  experiment  not  being  satisfactory,  and  fearing 
that  the  excess  of  potassa  may  have  interfered  with  the  result, 
it  was  determined  to  proceed  with  more  caution.  Eight  ounces 
of  the  seed,  well  bruised,  were  macerated  in  acidulated  diluted 
alcohol  for  48  hours,  and  then  digested  for  three  or  four  hours  ; 
