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INFLUENCE  OF  LIQUOR  POTASSiE  ON  HENBANE,  ETC.  545 
THE  INFLUENCE  OF  LIQUOR  POTASSiE  AND  OTHER  FIXED  CAUS 
TIC  ALKALIES  UPON  THE  THERAPEUTIC  PROPERTIES  OF 
HENBANE,  BELLADONNA,  AND  STRAMONIUM. 
By  Dr.  A.  B.  Garrod. 
The  object  of  this  communication  was— 
1.  To  prove  that  the  active  principles  of  the  plants  under  con- 
sideration are  absolutely  destroyed  by  the  influence  of  the  caustic 
alkalies. 
2.  To  show  the  ratio  which  must  exist  between  the  different 
preparations  of  the  plants  and  the  alkalies  for  the  neutralization  to 
be  perfect. 
3.  To  ascertain  the  time  demanded  for  the  decomposition  to  be 
complete. 
4.  To  illustrate  clinically  the  influence  of  the  alkali  in  preventing 
the  occurrence  of  symptoms,  and  removing  such  when  large  medi- 
cinal doses  of  these  solanaceous  drugs  are  administered. 
Dr.  Garrod,  before  proceeding  to  discuss  these  various  heads, 
brought  under  notice  a  few  points  relating  to  the  nature  of  liquor  pot- 
assse,  and  the  properties  of  some  of  the  officinal  preparations  of 
henbane,  &c,  showing  that  the  former,  although  strongly  caustic, 
still  possessed  but  little  neutralizing  power,  containing  so  small  an 
amount  of  potash — not  more  than  6.7  per  cent.;  and  that  most  of 
the  preparations  of  henbane,  belladonna,  and  stramonium,  as  the  tinc- 
tures and  extracts,  were  strongly  acid  in  reaction,  and  hence,  before 
the  alkali  could  act  upon  the  active  principles  contained  in.  them,  it 
must  first  neutralize  this  acidity,  next  separate  the  alkaloids  from  the 
acids  with  which  they  naturally  are  combined  in  the  plants ;  that 
therefore,  much  more  was  required  (measured  by  the  physiological 
or  therapeutic  strength  of  the  drugs)  to  neutralize  the  galenical 
preparations  than  their  alkaloids,  or  the  active  principles  themselves. 
To  prove  that  the  active  principles  were  absolutely  destroyed  by 
the  alkali,  he  (Dr.  Garrod)  performed  several  experiments  in  the 
following  manner  :— A  solution  of  atropine  was  made  by  dissolving 
it  in  water  with  the  aid  of  a  little  spirit,  dividing  the  solution  into 
two  parts,  adding  to  one  some  carbonate  of  potash,  to  the  other  a 
sufficiency  of  liquor  potassse,  and  permitting  both  to  remain  for  some 
hours.  Chloroform  was  afterwards  well  shaken  with  both  solutions, 
and  allowed  to  subside,  the  supernatant  fluid  being  poured  off,  and 
