( 58 )
the case of the primary petroleum-ether analysis, should be looked for there.
Two grains of this extract administered to a cat produced full narcosis.
The residue on the filter was now examined by being treated with ether.
The ether extract amounted on evaporation and drying to only 0.3 per cent.
of the total. The whole, amounting to 10 grains, was administered to a
cat and produced no effect, thus confirming Roux's statement that the ethereal
extract is inert.
The remainder undissolved by petroleum-ether or by ether was treated
with absolute alcohol, which only took up 0.25 per cent. The whole amount
administered to a cat produced no effect.
It was not considered necessary to carry the investigation further, and
the remaining residue, 8 grains in weight, was administered to a cat and pro-
duced no effect.
3
. Another examination was made with alcoholic extract in order to
separate the resin directly by treatment with alkali and further to separate from
the resin, by means of tannic acid, the alkaloid supposed to be associated with it.
On this occasion 28.61 grammes of extract were treated with caustic soda
and heated, and afterwards washed with large quantities of hot water. In this
way 8.14 grammes of a brown, sticky resin quite free from chlorophyll or re-
movable colouring matter, was obtained. This resin is a varnish-like substance
viscid at ordinary temperatures and fluid when heated; is insoluble in water,
but soluble in ether, alcohol, petroleum-ether, amylic alcohol, and chloroform. Three
grains of this resin administered to a cat produced narcosis like that described
in former cases, the effect being marked in half an hour, and on this occasion
lasting 50 hours, after which the cat was quite well. There was no initial
e x c i t e me n t ; t h e n a r c o s i s wa s p r o f o u n d f r o m t h e c o mme n c e me n t .
This resin was afterwards heated, and when in a fluid state a warm solution
of tannic acid added, the vessel being left on a hot plate for some hours. No
alkaloid or any other substance was removed by the tannic acid, and the narcotic
effect of th
e resin was found to have been in no way altered; owing to the
severity of the former effects only one grain was on this occasion administered.
The substance removed by the alkali was found on neutralisation with
acetic acid and evaporation to extract consistence, to have considerable physiolo-
gical effect, perhaps owing to some resin having passed through the filters.
The result of these examinations is to confirm the statement that one
or more alkaloids are present in the substance, but to prove that these bodies, even
if physiologically active, are not practically important.
These examinations were, however, only subsidiary to an extended investi-
gation into the composition of gánjá conducted simultaneously by a different
m
ethod. The principle underlying the method adopted has been that of
fractional removal, by means of differents solvents, of the various consti-
tuents of the plant. The system followed has been that elaborated by Pro-
fessor DRAGENDORFF of Dorpat, whose methods have been closely followed
throughout. Owing, however, to the shortness of the time at my disposal it was
impossible to carry out in detail all the steps of a complete examination, and it
was necessary, therefore, to modify and abbreviate his system. In doing this
I have had the benefit of the advice and assistance of Sur geon-Major C. J. H.
WARDEN, late Chemical Examiner, who, on my explaining the nature of my
instructions and the time at my disposal, kindly drew up the modified programme
that has here been followed. As in the case of the alcoholic extract, only the
examination of the samples of 1892-93 is described. The examination of
the other samples was in every way the same, and the results are given in
TABLE XI.
Gánjá converted. into chúr is powdered in a mortar, and all the small
woody particles and seeds sifted out. The coarse powder when required for use
is subjected to a second sifting through a wire sieve with a mesh of 36 to the
inch, and the fine powder obtained placed under an air-pump bell-jar and dessi- e
ated in a partial vacuum by means of strong sulphuric acid. After three or four
days when the powder is quite dry, 10 grammes of this moisture-free powder is
weighed off and introduced into a marked flask with 100cc. of petroleum-ether
of known purity and free from any compound boiling above 45°C., and left to
digest in this solvent during eight days. The ash of the samples to be
examined may be estimated during the time occupied in drying the powder for