SPIKE-FLOWEIIED ASAGRJiA.

Alkalies throw it down from itsHence it differs from anhydrousFurthermore it is distinguished from

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protonitrate of mercury, protosulphate of iron, and sulphate of copper. It is, perhaps,c veratric acid of Merck ( Berl. Jahrb. fur d. Pharm. Bd. xli. H. iii. S. 411).erafria being a medicinal agent will be described presently.

i, ] , tuo found by Meissner, hut overlooked by Pelletier and Caventou , are

"Tl ■ en ^ owe ^ with activity.

he bitter extractive of Meissner is the yellow colouring matter of Pelletier andCaventou .

Fouerbe obtained from cehadilla seeds, sabadillina, resin of veratria, and qum-resin

°f sabadillina.

•flesm of veratria ( veratrin , Couerbe) is a brown solid, fusible at 365°. Insoluble in(by which it is distinguished from veratria,) anil in water. It combines withs' , . S ’r"V ; ne * t her saturates them, nor forms with them any crystallizable salts. It con-s * °* H 18 N O 6 . Its action on the animal economy has not been determined.

I® resin of sabadillina ( resinigomme , Couerbe: monohydrate of sabadillina, Alter.) is, ecu is h solid, soluble in water and alcohol, but slightly so in ether. It saturates acids,

does not form crystalline compounds with them - -i-. r - .

s'a 4 • C ° m bi na tio 11 s • It consists of C 20 II 14 N O 6 .tl' ,,na in containing an atom more water.

- alkali in not being crystallizable.sabadillina is said, by Simon (Berl. Jahrb. Bd. xxxix. S. 393), to be merely a com-1 'und of resinate of soda and resinate of veratria. Dr. Turnbull found it inferior inactivity to veratria.

Chemical Characteristics. —The brownish coloured decoction of®uadilla reddens litmus, owing to the presence of free acid. Sesqui-tioride of iron deepens the colour of the decoction, and causes an olivetown precipitate. Alkalies deepen, whilst acids diminish, the colour ofle decoction (by their action on the yellow colouring matter, Pellet.)

- ce tate and diacetate of lead, protonitrate of mercury, and sulphate of(-•upper form precipitates in the decoction. Oxalate of ammonia rendersturbid (oxalate of lime). Nitrate of silver forms a coloured precipitate. hich is, for the most part, soluble in nitric acid : the insoluble portionls chloride of silver. Solution of iodine and tincture of nutgalls have110 obvious effect.

Physiological Effects. (a.) On vegetables. —Not ascertained.

, ("■) On animals. —Are similar to those of Veratrum album. CehadillaS Proved poisonous to dogs and cats (Willemet, Nouv. Mem. de l'Acad,c Dijon, 1782). A pinch of it produced violent spasms in cats; half aa ehm caused vomiting and convulsions in dogs. It is a poison tosects. Thus hugs die from it in convulsions : hence its use as a hug1 °ison • (Seeliger in Schmucker’s Vermischt. chirurg. Schrift. vol. ii.P- 272.) its efficacy in destroying pediculi has long been known,th C man -—The action is probably similar to, though more acrid^ an, white hellebore. The effects of small and repeated doses have notee n satisfactorily ascertained. Large and poisonous doses cause burningpain in the throat and stomach, nausea, vomiting, purging, pro-er a . 11 °f strength, convulsions, delirium, and sometimes a cutaneous( j H'bon. Even the external application of the powder has causedan gerous effects. Plenck tells us of a young man who was renderedP iporarily insane by the application of powder of cehadilla to the head.e ntin says an infant, whose nurse had sprinkled the powder in its hair,e o in convulsions. (Murray, App. Med. vol. v. p. 172.)to ! 1 Ubbed 011 tbe ski 11 ? the tincture causes a stinging sensation similartio llat P roduced hj veratria. After its use for some days, a slight erup-in ? a PP ears on the skin. Rubbed over the cardiac region, it in someq' tan ces reduces the frequency and force of the pulse in a marked°8ree. The alcoholic extract has nearly the same effects, when taken