638

ELEMENTS OF MATEItIA MERICA.

the tongue. But pure veratria is an almost white, friable, solid, havingthe aspect of a resin: it is uncrystallizable, odourless, has a very acridtaste, without any mixture of bitterness. It is fusible at 240° F. It i*sparingly soluble in ether, readily so in alcohol, scarcely so in cold water-It possesses alkaline properties: thus, it restores the blue colour of red-dened litmus, and saturates acids. Its salts crystallize with difficulty :indeed the sulphate and hydrochlorate alone have been obtained in thestate of crystals ; the other salts have a gummy aspect. Both the hydro-chlorate and sulphate are soluble in water.

(e.) Characteristics .—Yeratria is known by the following charactersIts alkalinity, its combustibility, its uncrystallizability, the difficult crv'S'tallizability of its salts, its solidity at ordinary temperatures, its readysolubility in alcohol, its being almost insoluble in water, but sparinglysoluble in ether, and by the intense red colour which it assumes whenmixed with strong liquid sulphuric acid. Nitric acid renders commercialveratria reddish, and forms a yellow solution with it. A solution ofveratria in dilute acetic acid produces a whitish precipitate (tannate ofveratria) with tincture of nutgalls, a white one (hydrated veratria) withammonia, and an intense red colour with concentrated sulphuric acid-To these chemical peculiarities must be added, those characteristic*derived from its physiological effects:—A minute portion of veratriacauses violent sneezing, and a small quantity of a solution of four grain*of veratria in a fluid drachm of rectified spirit, rubbed on the wrist otforehead, produces, within three or four minutes, heat and tingling.

(/•) Composition. The following is the composition of pure veratria;according to Couerbe :—

Carbon . .

Eq.

Eq. Wt.

Per Cent.

. . 34

. . 204 .

. . 70*83 .

. . 70-786

Hydrogen

. . 22

. . 22 .

• . 7*64 .

. . 7*636

Nitrogen . .

. . 1

. . 14 .

. . 4*86 .

. . 5*210

Oxygen . .

. . 6

. . 48 .

. . 16-67 .

. . 16-368

Veratria . .

. . 1

. - 288 .

. . 100-00 .

. • 100-000

{y.) Physiological Effects, a. On animals. — Magendie ( Formula^'>p. 162, 8 rae ed.) has shewn that the local action of veratria is that of ,irritant. Placed in the nostrils of a dog the acetate of veratria provoke ,violent and continued sneezing. When introduced into the intestuicanal it caused inflammation. Applied to parts whence absorption g° ^on actively (as the pleura and tunica vaginalis), it occasions tetanus a ° edeath in a few minutes. Forcke ( Untersuch. uber d. Veratrin, 1837) g a 'moderate and gradually increased doses Q to \ of a grain) of veratria20 days. It caused vomiting, and occasionally foaming at the ^The stools continued hard. Dr. Bardsley ( Hasp. Facts and Observ. 1°'observed vomiting and giddiness (reeling) produced in animals to w&he gave veratria. . , e

j3. On man .—Applied to the nose a, minute quantity excites excess ^sneezing. Rubbed on the skin in the form of ointment, it caU ^ w ),sensation of heat and tingling (called by Dr. Turnbull electro-stimuli 10 ^This effect is not confined to the part and its immediate neighbour! 1 ®where the application has been made : for somewhat similar sensaare occasionally experienced in distant parts.

Taken internally in small or medicinal doses veratria excites a ice