For instance, the
seeds of the stramonium, which is the same thing, contain a much
higher percentage of poison than the leaves and flowers. Perhaps
the seeds were used. I can't say. But, then, that isn't at all
necessary. It is the fact of its use that concerns us most now."
He took a drop of the liquid which he had isolated and added a
drop of nitric acid. Then he evaporated it by gentle heat and it
left a residue slightly yellow.
Next he took from the shelf over his table a bottle marked
"Alcoholic Solution--Potassium Hydrate." He opened it and let a
drop fall on the place where the liquid had evaporated.
Instantly the residue became a beautiful purple, turning rapidly
to violet, then to dark red, and, finally, it disappeared
altogether.
"Stramonium, all right," he nodded, with satisfaction at the
achievement of his night's labours. "That was known as Vitali's
test. Yes, there was stramonium in those cigarettes--datura
stramonium--perhaps a trace of hyoscyamine."
I tried to look wise, but all I could think of was that, whatever
his science showed me now, my instinct had been enough to prompt
me not to smoke those cigarettes, though, of course, only
Kennedy's science could tell what it was that caused that
instinctive aversion.
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