CONTRIBUTIONS  TO  TOXICOLOGY. 
49 
freezing  mixture  ;  care  must  be  taken  that  the  mixture  does  not 
become  heated  above  32°  F.  As  soon  as  the  two  bodies  have 
united  into  a  homogeneous  fluid,  200  cub.  centims.  of  concentrated 
sulphuric  acid  are  added  in  small  quantities.  If  the  temperature 
be  constantly  kept  below  32°  F.,  there  is  no  danger  of  the  mass 
going  off  in  vapor,  but  this  readily  takes  place  if  it  rises  above 
this  point.  The  nitroglycerine  then  separates  in  the  form  of  an 
oily  stratum  upon  the  acids,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  means 
of  a  funnel  furnished  with  a  cock. 
The  weight  of  the  quantity  obtained  was  200  grms.  By 
mixing  the  separated  acids  with  water,  20  grms.  more  were  ob- 
tained. This  whole  quantity  of  220  grms.  was  dissolved  in  as 
little  ether  as  possible,  and  the  solution  was  agitated  repeatedly 
with  fresh  water  until  this  no  longer  reddened  litmus-paper  ;  it 
was  then  evaporated  on  the  water-bath,  and  the  product  wras 
dried  until  its  weight  became  constant.  It  then  weighed  184 
grms. 
From  this  it  appears  that  the  constitution  of  nitroglycerine  is 
C6H6(N04)206;  thus  C6  H8  06=92  and  C6HG(N04)2  06=182. 
It  is  a  pale  yellow  oleaginous  fluid,  of  spec.  grav.  1*595  to  1*600 
at  59°  F.  When  heated  to  330°,  it  is  decomposed  ;  this  takes 
place  with  a  strong  explosion  at  a  higher  temperature.  It  also 
explodes  when  struck  with  a  hammer  upon  an  anvil.  Sulphuretted 
hydrogen  reacts  upon  it,  with  deposition  of  much  sulphur  
Chem,  Gaz. ,  Oct.  15, 1855,  from  Journ.  de  Pliarrn.  et  de  Chun,, 
3  ser.  xxviii.  p.  38. 
CONTRIBUTIONS  TO  TOXICOLOGY. 
Translated  from  the  "Archiv.  d.  Pharmacie"  and  "  Buchner's  N.  Repertorium." 
By  J.  M.  Mai  sen. 
Poisoning  by  a  large  quantity  of  Opium  cured  by  Ammonia. 
Costa  di  Serta,  Jr.,  reports  to  the  Paris  Academy  of  Medicine 
the  following  case : 
Sixty  grammes  laudanum,  equivalent  to  three  grms.  opium, 
were  taken  and  remained  in  the  stomach  for  six  hours,  without 
causing  death.  Costa  thinks  this  is  due  to  the  large  dose  of  opium 
which  almost  instantly  caused  palsy  of  the  stomach,  which  ren- 
dered the  absorption  of  most  of  the  poison  impossible.    A  few 
4 
