CHEMICAL  TESTS  FOR  STRYCHNIA.  461 
of  a  grain.  Draw  out  a  glass  tube  of  narrow  bore  to  such 
a  degree  of  fineness,  that  twenty  drops  from  it  shall  equal  five 
minims.  Allow  one  of  these  drops  (i.  e.  a  quarter  of  a  minim 
=  l-500,000th  of  a  grain)  to  fall  in  the  centre  of  the  capsule. 
Evaporate  carefully  without  stirring,  and  test  as  before.  The 
strychnia  will  be  found,  upon  close  inspection,  to  have  collected 
itself  into  a  ring  more  or  less  complete ;  wherever  this  is  crossed 
by  the  test,  the  color  may  be  faintly  seen.  The  object  of  using 
a  quarter  of  a  minim,  is  to  circumscribe  the  deposit ;  for  the 
same  reason  it  is  not  stirred  during  evaporation.  No  chemist 
would  perhaps  be  disposed  to  assert  an  opinion  upon  the  faint 
color  afforded  by  this  experiment,  which  is  only  put  forth  as  an 
evidence  of  the  extreme  delicacy  of  the  test. 
Antimony  was  found  in  the  body  of  Cook.  A  question  arose 
as  to  what  effect  this  might  have  in  causing  the  elimination  of  the 
poison,  either  through  the  kidneys  or  other  channels  ;  or  sup- 
posing some  strychnia  still  to  remain,  to  what  extent  it  would 
mask  or  prevent  the  action  of  the  tests.  The  latter  part  of  this 
question  is,  I  think,  undoubtedly  disposed  of.  The  most  de- 
cisive experiments  on  this  point  are  perhaps  those  of  Mr.  Rodgers, 
In  all  cases  the  strychnia  appears  to  have  been  recovered  un- 
changed. Whatever  effect  the  presence  of  antimony,  in  any  of 
its  combinations,  might  seem  to  have  while  in  actual  contact 
with  strychnia,  there  need  be  no  longer  any  doubt  that  it  may  be 
separated  from  it,  and  even  shown,  more  or  less  distinctly,  while 
mixed  with  it.  It  may  be  here  observed,  that  although  the 
suggestion  claimed  attention  from  the  importance  of  the  subject, 
both  per  se  and  in  reference  to  the  culprit,  it  was  one  which  has 
been  truly  said,  would  not,  at  any  other  time,  have  received  a 
moment's  consideration.  It  is  not  usual  for  a  chemist  to  apply 
the  tests  of  any  body,  at  least  in  toxicological  inquiries,  while 
others,  which  may  by  possibility  be  separated  from  it,  are  still 
present. 
It  must  be  confessed,  however,  that  some  good  has  arisen  out 
of  the  inquiry ;  and  it  is  possible  that  there  is  something  yet  to 
learn  about  it.  One  thing  has  been  undoubtedly  shown  —  that 
the  solubility  of  strychnia  (in  water)  is  greatly  increased  by  the 
presence  of  tartar  emetic. 
The  following  experiments  may  not  be  uninteresting  : — ■ 
