Am.  Jour.  Pharm.\ 
April,  1901.  J 
PJiarmaceutical  Meeting. 
207 
Prof.  Virgil  Coblentz,  of  the  College  of  Pharmacy  of  the  city  of  New 
York,  who  is  well  known  as  a  writer,  teacher  and  expert  in  pharmaceu- 
tical and  industrial  chemistry,  presented  a  paper  on  "  Recent  Devel- 
opments in  the  Study  of  the  Relationship  between  Chemical  Constitu- 
tion and  Physiological  Action  of  Organic  Compounds."  The  speaker 
said  that  there  is  a  close  relationship  between  chemical  constitution 
and  physiological  action,  as  shown  by  the  fact  that  certain  changes  in 
chemical  structure  or  constitution  cause  like  changes  in  the  physi- 
ological action  of  similar  bodies;  and,  furthermore,  that  the  addi- 
tion of  certain  groups  to  compounds  of  different  action  produces 
bodies  of  similar  physiological  action,  or  are  alike  rendered  inactive. 
(1)  The  methylating  of  different  alkaloids  of  different  physiologic 
action  produces  compounds  which  paralyze  all  the  motoric  nerve 
terminals  like  curarin.  (2)  The  introduction  of  the  carboxyl  or  the 
sulphonic  acid  groups  into  bodies  of  well-defined  toxic  properties 
results  in  a  marked  diminution  or  total  destruction  of  their  action, 
as,  for  example,  morphine  sulphonic  acid  in  dose  of  5  grammes  is 
harmless.  (3)  Bodies  containing  a  tertiary  nitrogen,  and  possessing 
slight  or  no  toxic  properties,  become  very  poisonous  through  reduc- 
tion and  formation  of  an  imido  group.  Thus  pyridin  is  more  toxic 
than  collidin.  (4)  The  introduction  of  hydroxyl  groups  into  aliphatic 
bodies  modifies  their  action,  this  decreasing  with  their  increase  in 
number.  Thus  the  presence  of  this  group  in  caffeine  destroys  its 
effect.  The  influence  of  the  hydroxyl  group  is  observed  in  the  vari- 
ous derivatives  of  morphine,  as  codeine,  dionin,  peronin  and  heroin. 
(5)  The  replacement  of  a  hydroxyl  by  an  alkyl  rest  renders  the  entire 
body  chemically  and  pharmacologically  more  resistant  to  oxidation 
in  the  system.  Thus  the  introduction  of  an  oxyethyl  group  into  caf- 
feine gives  the  latter  an  additional  narcotic  action.  (6)  The  introduc- 
tion of  chlorin  into  aliphatic  compounds  produces  bodies  of  a  more  or 
less  narcotic  action,  whereas,  if  the  substituted  body  belongs  to  the 
aromatic  series,  active  antiseptics  result,  (j)  Iodine  imparts  to  all 
bodies  of  both  series  strong  antiseptic  properties.  (8)  The  researches 
of  Loew  seem  to  show  that  bodies  with  a  double  linkage  are  more 
toxic  than  the  corresponding  saturated  ones. 
In  referring  to  the  relationship  between  taste  and  chemical  con- 
stitution, Professor  Coblentz  said  that  the  hydroxyl  and  amido  groups 
are  taste  generators,  and  that  the  presence  of  a  carboxyl  group  pro- 
duces in  all  cases  a  sour  taste.    The  natural  glucosides  are  bitter, 
