NOTE  ON  THE  DETECTION  OF  STRYCHNIA. 
257 
fifth,  alcoholic  solution  of  KO  gave  distinct  coloration  ;  and  with 
the  sixth,  the  color  was  deep.  We  think  this  experiment  bears 
out  the  remark  that  nearly  the  whole  product  may  come  over 
without  a  particle  of  AeO-f-N03. — London  Pharm.  Joum. 
NOTE  ON  THE  DETECTION  OF  STRYCHNIA, 
Br  Marshal  Hall,  M,  D.,  etc. 
The  detection  of  strychnia  as  a  poison  is,  at  this  moment,  of 
deep  public  interest. 
When  the  chemical  test  fails,  there  remains,  I  think,  another — 
the  physiological.  Having  long  studied  the  effects  of  strychnia 
on  the  animal  economy  (I  have  sent  two  papers  on  this  subject 
to  the  Institute  of  France),  I  am  persuaded  that  these  effects  on 
the  most  excitable  of  the  animal  species  are  at  once  the  most  de- 
licate and  specific  tests  of  this  poison. 
I  have  just  performed  two  experiments,  and  only  two,  for 
want  of  materials  for  more. 
I  requested  Mr.  Lloyd  Bullock,  of  Hanover  Street,  to  dissolve 
one  part  of  the  acetate  of  strychnia  in  one  thousand  parts  of 
distilled  water,  adding  a  drop  or  two  of  acetic  acid. 
I  then  took  a  frog,  and  having  added  to  one  ounce  of  water 
one  one-hundreth  part  of  a  grain  of  the  acetate  of  strychnia, 
placed  the  frog  in  this  dilute  solution.  No  effect  having  been 
produced,  one  one-hundreth  of  a  grain  of  the  acetate  was  care- 
fully added.  This  having  produced  no  effect,  in  another  hour 
one  one-hundredth  of  a  grain  of  the  acetate  was  again  added, 
making  the  three  one-hundredths,  or  about  the  thirty-third  part 
of  a  grain.  In  a  few  minutes  the  frog  became  violently  tetanic, 
and  though  taken  out  and  washed,  died  in  the  course  of  the 
night. 
I  thus  detected,  in  the  most  indubitable  manner,  one  thirty- 
third  part  of  a  grain  of  the  acetate  of  strychnia.  It  appeared 
to  me  that  had  more  time  been  given  to  the  experiment,  a  much 
minuter  quantity  would  be  detectible. 
I  placed  the  second  frog  in  one  ounce  of  distilled  water,  to 
which  I  had  added  the  one  two-hundreth  part  of  a  grain  of  the 
acetate  of  strychnia.    At  the  end  of  the  first,  the  second,  and 
17 
