The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-07-01
M. OrfiIa on Nicotine.

From Gaiignanis Messenger
AT the last sitting OF the Academy Of Medicine,
Mt Paris, Nj. Orfla's report nicotine read.
This report, which confirms facts already known,
contains many new observations Of interest TO che
msis and medical Jurisprudence, relative to the pro-
pcites OF the poison, and OF its traces after death
According TO this document, nicotine disco.
vered in 1863, by Nauquelin; and is to be found in
different kinds Of nicotana, in various proportions
havana tobacco contains two per cent; that OF the
Nord, six; Virginia nearly seven, aud that Of Lot,
eight. Smokers, by inhaling the fumes of tobacco,
introduce INTO their system certain quantity
ttbough small) Of poisonous matter. Pure nicotine
Las the appearance Of an oily transparent liquid, of
pale yel ow color, which, after exposure, turns to
brown. IL is very hot to the taste, and its acrid
smell slightly resembles that of tobacco but when
volatilized by heat IL throws out characteristics va
Tors, which ale so oppressive that breathing be-
GENES difficult in room where drop of the liquid
has been spn;. AS a POISONOUS substance nisotiae
possesses excessive power. Ia experiments made
about ten years ago, in ten minutes VI. Oria killed
many dogs, on the tongues of which he had applied
hye drops If tais alkili with twelve drIps death
onsued In tso minutes But this powerful poison
cannot escape the investigation of men of art Pure
nicotine taccording to the conclusions OF Messrs.
Oihla and Stas) has certain characters by which 10
is detected as easily as mineral poison. IL can be
discovered IN the digestive channel, and It's exist
eDce theI elm proved, though that channel contain
but n few drops. Ard even when the poisonous
substance has been absoibed-when II has passed
the other organs-it can still be discovered in
hose organs, and especially in the liver. III. Oraa
has tried, on the liN er OF auimals poisoned with
twelve fifteen drops of nicotine. 40 methods of
chemical analysis which be describes, and he has
invariably succeeded IN procuring certain quantities
of he poisOns sought for.
M Stss. by making use Of third method on the
body Of Gus,av Fougnies, extracted nicotine from
the tongue, the stomach, and liquid contained
theren he also found some in the liver and lungs.
lie moreover obtained IL from the wood flooring Of
the timing room in which Gustavc died. although
that flooring had been washed with soap, oil, and
warm water and in his learned investigation the
Belgian toxicologist had received no indication from
the Judge d'lnstruction. Before he was informed
that BocaImc hal been making experiments relative
to tobacco and nicotine, he had already found that
tie poison introduced into the body of the victim
was neither sulphuric acid (as had been supposedly
nor acetic acid, but either eopcine or nicotine.
The progress which medical jurisconsuts have
made recently. is so great that poisoning by NOR
Jbne, sty cbnine, prussic acid and other vegetable
substances, hitherto regarded as inaccessible to our
means of investigation, may now be detected and
Iccogi ized in the most incoLtestible manner.
M. Orfa, in closing bis notice, might well say,
-" After these results of judicial medical invest-
cation, the public need be under apprehension.
No doubt intelligent and clever criminals, with
view TO tbwart the surgeons, will sometimes have
recourse to very active prisons little known by the
mass, and difficult Of detection, but science Is ON
the alert, and overcomes oil difficulty pene-
tratpg into the utmost depths of our organs, II
brings out the proof Of the crime, and furnishes
one Of the greatest pieces of evidence against the
guilty"
There we're las deaths in Philadelphia during the
week ending the 2Sth ultimo.