Dissolve strychnine in warm diluted nitric acid, and allow to cool. Extremely bitter, colorless needles are formed, which contain 84 per cent of strychnine. It dissolves in cold water (90 parts), boiling water (3 parts), cold alcohol (70 parts), boiling alcohol (5 parts), and glycerin (26 parts); somewhat soluble in fixed oils and absolute alcohol, not soluble in ether and carbon disulphide. This agent is official in the Ger. Pharm. It has been largely used in the treatment of the alcohol habit.