652

ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.

angular cells, by being larger and elliptical. The pulvis scillce, offic.contains nine or ten per cent, of these crystals.

Two kinds of squills, both abounding in an acrid juice, and having avery bitter taste, are met with in commerce ; viz. the white (squilla alba),and the red {squilla rubra ), both of which are so called from the colour ofthe scales. (Is the red kind the Squilla Pancration var. a. Bulbo rvfo,Steinheil ?) The white is preferred in England.

In the London Pharmacopoeia the fresh bulbs are directed to be pre-served in dry sand; and, before drying them, the dry rind is to be removed;they are then to be cut transversely in thin slices, and dried as quicklyas possible with a gentle heat.

Dried squill ( radix scillte siccata, offic.) is, however, for the most partimported, in consequence of the duty being no liigher'for this than for therecent bulb. It occurs in white or yellowish-white, slightly diaphanouspieces, which, when dry, are brittle, but when moist are readily flexible.As their affinity for moisture is great, they should be preserved in well-stoppered bottles, or in a very dry place.

Squill is imported from Malta , and other countries of the Mediter-ranean. Also from Petersburg and Copenhagen {Trade List, Sept. 1Land Nov 20, 1838).

Composition. —The more recent analyses of squill are those of Vogebin 1812, {Ann. de Chim. t. 83, p. 147), and of Tilloy, in 1826 {Journ. dePharm. xii. p. 635). Buchner, in 1811 {Berl. Jahrb. xv. p. 1), examinedthe juice of the fresh bulb.

Vogel’s analysis of Squills,dried at 212° F.Scillitin with some sugar .. 35

Tannin .. 24

Gum. 6

Woody fibre, and some ci- -itrate (and perhaps tar- £ 30

trate) of lime.'

Acrid volatile matter.

Loss. 5

Squill bulb. 100

Tilby's Analysis of driedand fresh Squills .

Acrid bitter resinous extractive( Scillitin ).

Uncrystallizable sugar.

Gum.

Fatty matter.

Piquant, very fugaceous matter.

Squill bulb.

Buchner 9 s Analysis of freshSquill bulb juice.

Peculiar bitter extractive.. 9**7

Mucilage . 3'09

Gelatinous matter (2V«->

ganthinf) .> .

Phosphate of lime. O’S*

Fibrous matter .

Water.

Astringent acid. trac^

Loss .

Squill juice. lOO'S®

Acrid, volatile? matter. —It is well known that squill, in the recent state, is veryacrid ; and, when applied to the skin, causes irritation, inflammation, and even vesica-tion. By drying-, the greater part of this acridity is got rid of; and hence the acridprinciple is usually described as being of a volatile nature, and, in confirmation of ***volatility, Athanasius (Pfaff, Mat. Med. Bd. v. S. 188) states, that two ounceswater distilled from fresh squills caused the death of a dog in six hours. However, byothers, its volatility is denied; and Vogel says, that six ounces of water distilled fro 10fresh squills had no effect on dogs. Buchner (Toxikologieii340) states, that besides thehitter scillitin, squill contains, according to his experiments, another principle, whichis combined with phosphate of lime, and which is capable of exciting itching and i°'flammation. This acrid matter, says he, may be easily decomposed, but it is not vola-tile, as is generally supposed.

Scillitin (Scillitite , Thomson).—The substance to which Vogel gave the name of _Sc«-litin is a whitish transparent deliquescent substance, which, when dry, has a resino®*fracture, and may be easily rubbed to powder. Its taste is bitter, and subsequentlysweetish. It readily dissolves in water, spirit of wine, and acetic acid. The substanosold in the shops under the name of Scillitin is a thick treacle-1ike liquid. Landere(Thomson’s Org. Chem. p. 717) obtained crystals of Scillitin. He says they possessealkaline properties. ,

Raphides (phosphate of lime?) The acicular crystals found in the cuticle ofscales of the bulb, as before mentioned, probably consist of phosphate of lime. The®