(d) The oxalate may be dissolved in the smallest possible amount of hydrochloric acid, and boiled with ammonio chloride of gold, avoiding exposure to light; every part of gold precipitated corresponds to ·961 part of crystallised oxalic acid.
(e) The oxalate may be placed in Geissler’s carbonic acid apparatus, with peroxide of manganese and diluted sulphuric acid. The weight of the gas which at the end of the operation has escaped, will have a definite relation to that of the oxalate, and if multiplied by 1·4318 will give the amount of crystallised oxalic acid.
CERTAIN OXALIC BASES—OXALMETHYLINE—OXALPROPYLINE.
§ 706. Hugh Schulz[699] and Mayer have contributed the results of some important researches bearing upon a more exact knowledge of the effects of the oxalic group of poisons, and upon the relation between chemical constitution and physiological effects. They experimented upon oxalmethyline, chloroxalmethyline, and oxalpropyline.
[699] Beitrag zur Kenntniss der Wirkung der Oxalbasen auf den Thierkörper. Arch. f. exper. Path. u Pharm., 1882.
Chloroxalmethyline (C6H5ClN2) is a liquid, boiling at 205°, with a weakly narcotic smell. A solution of the hydrochlorate of the base was employed. Subcutaneous injections of ·05 grm. into frogs caused narcosis, and both this and the ethylic compound deranged the heart’s action, decreasing the number of beats. Thus ·05 grm. decreased the number of the beats of the heart of a frog in the course of one and three-quarter hours as follows: 72, 60, 56, 50, 44, 40, 35, 0.
Oxalmethyline produces somewhat similar symptoms, but the nervous system is more affected than in that which contains chlorine.
Oxalpropyline also causes narcosis, and afterwards paralysis of the hinder extremities and slowing of the heart.