16     CHEMICAL  COMPOSITION  OF  GELSEMIUM  SEMPERVIRENS. 
volume,  filtered,  the  filtrate  acidulated  with  a  few  drops  of  acetic 
acid  and  then  extracted  with  two  volumes  of  pure  commercial 
ether.  On  allowing  the  ethereal  liquid  to  evaporate  spontane- 
ously, it  left  a  nearly  colorless  residue  containing  several  groups 
of  crystals,  similar  in  appearance  to  those  of  gelseminic  acid. 
A  portion  of  this  residue,  when  examined  in  its  solid  state  by 
nitric  acid  and  ammonia,  and  another  portion  when  dissolved  by 
the  aid  of  an  alkali  and  the  solution  tested  by  several  reagents, 
presented  the  chemical  and  fluorescent  properties  of  gelseminic 
acid  in  a  degree  indicating  the  presence  of  a  very  notable 
quantity  of  the  acid.  The  contents  of  the  small  bottle  were  not 
examined  for  the  alkaloid. 
The  contents  of  the  stomachlw ere  treated  and  purified  after  the 
general  method  described  above,  and  the  final  aqueous  solution 
acidulated  with  acetic  acid  and  extracted  with  ether,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  recovering  the  organic  acid,  if  present ;  the  solution  thus 
extracted  was  then  rendered  slightly  alkaline  and  extracted  by 
chloroform,  for  the  purpose  of  recovering  the  alkaloid.  The 
purified  ether  extract  revealed  very  satisfactory  evidence  of  the 
presence  of  the  organic  acid,  both  in  regard  to  its  fluorescent 
and  chemical  properties.  So,  also,  the  chloroform  extract,  when 
purified  and  the  final  aqueous  solution  concentrated  to  a  very 
small  volume  and  examined  by  several  reagents,  furnished  un- 
doubted evidence  of  the  presence  of  the  base,  indicating  it,  how- 
ever, to  be  present  only  iu  very  minute  quantity. 
On  comparing  the  intensities  of  the  reactions  of  the  several 
reagents  applied  with  those  obtained  by  the  same  reagents  from 
solutions  of  the  alkaloid  of  known  strength,  it  was  inferred  that 
the  quantity  of  the  base  recovered  in  this  case  did  not  much,  if 
any,  exceed  the  fiftieth-part  of  a  grain.  The  quantity  of  the 
alkaloid  originally  taken,  as  we  have  already  seen,  did  not  prob- 
ably much  exceed  the  sixth  of  a  grain. 
The  fact  that  the  stomach  with  its  contents  had  undergone 
considerable  decomposition,  and  also  that  the  chemical  examina- 
tion was  not  made  until  some  months  after  death,  would  seem  to 
indicate  that  the  poison  is  not  readily  destroyed  by  decomposi- 
tion, and  that  it  may  be  recovered  after  comparatively  long 
periods,  even  when  taken  only  in  small  quantity. 
Columbus,  Ohio,  Nov.  15,  1869. 
