Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
July,  1883.  I 
Colored  Insect  Poioder. 
361 
frogs  in  exactly  the  same  manner  as  strychnia^  increasing  the  excita- 
bility of  the  reflex  centres  of  the  spinal  cord.  It  did  not  give  a  violet 
color  with  sulphuric  acid  and  bichromate  of  potash.  It  was,  therefore, 
although  similar  in  action  to  strychnia,  not  chemically  identical  with 
it.  A  solution  of  it  in  water  was  precipitated  by  the  various  alka- 
loidal  precipitants,  platinic  chloride,  iodide  of  potassium  and  mercury, 
phospho-tungstate  of  soda,  phosplio-molybdic  acid,  phospho-wolframic 
acid,  etc. 
Although  I  obtained  the  alkaloid  from  1  kilogram  of  cannabis,  yet 
the  quantity  of  it  was  so  small,  that  it  was  insufficient  for  an  elementary 
analysis. 
To  this  alkaloid  I  propose  to  give  the  name  of  tetano-cannabine,  as 
indicative  of  its  action. — Phar.  Jour,  and  Trans.,  June  2, 1883,  p.  998. 
COLORED  INSECT  POWDER. 
By  W.  L.  Howie,  Ph.C,  F.C.S. 
Mr.  Conroy  has  done  good  service  in  calling  the  attention  of  the 
trade  to  the  adulteration  of  insect  powder  in  the  paper  read  before  the 
Liverpool  Chemists'  Association,  and  published  in  a  recent  "  Journal.'^ 
I  have  been  working  on  the  same  subject  for  some  time  past,  and  as 
my  experience  and  results  differ  from  Mr.  Conroy's,  I  think  it  well, 
without  further  delay,  to  throw  my  notes  into  form  for  publication. 
The  adulterant  mentioned  in  the  report  of  the  Liverpool  meeting  as 
having  been  found  by  Mr.  Conroy  is  fustic,  which  is  one  I  have  not 
met  with  although  particularly  looked  for.  I  have  not  yet,  however, 
hit  upon  a  satisfactory  method  by  which  one  can  readily  detect  small 
proportions  of  this  substance,  as  well  as  other  yellow  dye  stuflfe,  which 
I  have  reason  to  suspect  are  used  to  reduce  "  the  powder.  I  have 
found  microscopical  examination  unreliable,  artificially  colored  insect 
powders,  to  my  knowledge,  being  passed  as  genuine  even  by  a  skilled 
microscopist,  and  I  have  found  comparison  with  test  samples  prepared 
by  blending  various  pigments  with  genuine  powder  in  a  mortar  very 
misleading,  as  little  difficulty  is  then  experienced  in  detecting  the 
specks  of  the  coloring  ingredient,  but  in  the  commercial  powders  the 
pigment  is  without  doubt  added  during  the  grinding  process,  and  if 
well  selected  becomes  so  incorporated  with  the  vegetable  tissue  as  to 
escape  any  but  an  experienced  eye,  even  when  aided  with  tlie  polari- 
scope.    I  have,  therefore,  not  relied  upon  the  microscope  as  far  as  my 
