Contractions. - Strych. Sty.

Present name. - Strychnia. C21H12N202.

This is an alkaloid contained in Nux Vomica and Ignatia. We understand that the latter is the chief source of the Strychnia of commerce. It may be obtained from the operative chemists.

Characters and Tests. - In right square octahedrons or prisms, colourless and inodorous; sparingly soluble in water, but communicating to it its intensely bitter taste; soluble in boiling rectified spirit and in chloroform, but not in absolute alcohol or in ether. Pure Sulphuric Acid forms with it a colourless solution, which, on the addition of Bichromate of Potash, acquires an intensely violet hue, speedily passing through red to o 2 yellow. Not coloured by Nitric Acid; leaves no ash when burned with free access of air. A very active poison.

Preparation. - Trituration.

Reference to Horn. Proving. - Noack and Trinks, Appx.

Proper forms for dispensing. - lx to 3, Trituration only. 4, dilute Tincture only. 5 and upwards, Tincture, Pilules, or Globules.