VIRGINIAN TOBACCO.

369

io nd^ C< ^ ma (Nicotin ).—Exists not only in tlie leaves, but also in the root (E. Davy,Phil. Mag. vol. vii. p. 393) and in the seeds (Buchner, Repert. Bd.!l hu nc a iH 0b „!? c .°- . T . 1 . is obtained by infusing the leaves in water acidulated withsul-di stil] a <H concentrating the infusion, and distilling with lime or magnesia. ThePWic Pj 0duc t' s a solution of ammonia and nicotina, and is to be saturated w ith sul-

0 "tb

tan

, and evaporated to dryness: the sulphate of nicotina is then to be dissolvedeou * “ er ’ an( l decomposed by hydrate of baryta. The nicotina is obtained byspon-’etnpe,. 8 eva P°ration. To obtain it pure, it should be distilled by an oil-bath at theat »re. of 2880 F. The following are its leading properties:—It is a colourless,tlie b]|i at ^ e alkali, with the odour of tobacco, and an acrid, burning taste. It restoresand odour of reddened litmus, and renders turmeric brow n. At 376° F. it boils,Wo„. n t le same time undergoes decomposition. By exposure to the air it becomes"ate r thick. It is readily combustible with the aid of a wick. It is soluble inf«n t | S ’ c ! ler i alcohol, and the oils (fixed and volatile). It combines with acids andit n ot a y S: the sulphate, phosphate, oxalate, and tartrate, are crystallizable ; th e acetatelent p" r 7^ atomic weight is about 210. The acetate of nicotina yields a w hite fioccu-I’itate eai P'tate with a solution of bichloride of mercury, and a yellow granular preci-^Pici"' 1 * 1 bolide of platinum. The precipitates (which are double salts) lead to aPfecipi? n ^at ammonia was present in the nicotina salt. Heated with water the yellow“f an lni ate .°l > tained by chloride of platinum is converted into the platinum-bichloride• Cu !ina° n ' Un , 1 ail, 1'harm. Central Blatt far 1836, S. 499). Mr. E. Davy found that' poison on insects. The following are the quantities of

of

narcotic

-Cgj a y* e lded by 1000 parts of various kinds of tobacco (Thomson, Org.Chem. p. 286):to rth Maryland , 5’28; Virginia , 10 00; lie de Vilain, 1120; Lot, 6 - 48;

9 1 28; Tint, pt Ctarnnn. 8-20: for smakina. 3‘86.

"ico t ;n a a - ied as

_ I '28; Jj 0 f e { Q ar onn, 8'20; for smoking, 3'86.

^Oielj ? ncTe fe Volatile Oil of Tobacco ( Nicotianin , Hermbstadt; Tobacco-camphor,Nnd s f Gained by submitting tobacco leaves, with water, to distillation. Sixfhi s . the leaves yielded 11 grains of oil, which swims on the surface of the liquor,a ate f a !? Sfd ' l l, has the odour of tobacco, and a bitter taste. It is volatile, insoluble inaer cr(pi the dilute acids, but soluble in ether and caustic potash. According to Lan-Hic|, .![ arni - Central-Blatt fur 1835, S. 890), fresh tobacco leaves yield no nicotianin,'afluj’ berefore, would appear to be developed by the drying of the leaves under theS ' ,l| ilar < * e a ' r and water. Nicotianin excites, in the tongue and throat, a sensation

I'erjp* 0 l bat caused by tobacco smoke. Hermbstadt swallowed a grain of it, andi Se n ced, soon after, giddiness, nausea, and inclination to vomit. Applied to the•» ’ , ca Uses --

f "• Lain ~ sneez, "£-

uyrenmatic Oil of Tobacco .—Is rather less solid than the empyreumatic i

i lorr;„ e P- H38); but it is uudistinguishable from the latter by either taste or s

: oil of

’lorrj " p. 838); but it is uudistinguisname irom me ianer oy enner taste or smellJf ' ! st i ■£<£ Med. and Surg.Journ. vol. xxxix. p. 379). It is produced, in part at

tested l be decomposition of some of the constituents of tobacco. It has been sug-. 1 ‘H this nil is “ the iuir.p nf cursed, h

let i

this oil !s “ the juice of cursed hebenon,” alluded to by Shakspeare ( Hamlet,f T ;;^ 5), who also calls it a “ distilment.”a,1 d ar fo Smoke .—The constituents of tobacco-smoke, according to Raab (Zenkc

Naturgesch. d. vorziig. Handelspjl. Bd. ii. S. 75), are much carbonate ofnature'. ace * a * e °f ammonia, nicotianin, empyreumatic oil, carbonaceous matter (sent),f ^ry ( ’l• a " d severa l gases. Unverdorben (PoggendorFs Annalen, viii. 399) obtained, by1 of tobacco, water, oil, and resin. These products consisted of, a

f^der ; **’ an oleaginous acid, an empyreumatic acid (Brandsaure), resin, traces of alllc °tin ?f°™ble in potash and acids, a small quantity of odorin, a base soluble in water^'bible ' fascin, red matter soluble in acids, and two extractive matters, one forming a’ le other an insoluble, compound w ith lime.

H^^’Logicaj, Effects, [a.) On animals generally .—In the carnivoraMiq Co causes nausea, vomiting, sometimes purging, universal trem-b lijUp daggering, convulsive movements, and stupor. Five drachms and

]■ of ~..' J

ra Ppee introduced into the stomach of a dog, and secured by a

CXjw °n the oesophagus, caused death in nine hours. In another

+iir/\ r,lswvn nt-mllOfl In O Titnim/1 Villnd tlvo

o Ur ,.'‘ e nt, two drachms applied to a wound killed the animal in an

><T’ rfila ’ r "

w U q j, i Tow. Gen.) Sir B. Brodie {Phil. Trans, for 1811, p. 178)^>e J, il t the infusion of tobacco, thrown into the rectum, paralyzedbiiijy^i r ’ a nd caused death in a few minutes. But if the head of thee previously removed, and artificial respiration kept up, the