PURPLE FOXGLOVE.
837
f r(J ^" r °r pearl, is met with in gardens: it remains tolerably constant
IPvT’ ~~ Indigenous : in pastures and about hedges or hanks, on ajj fc ly or sandy soil.
^tte ESCRIPTI0N '— The P ar ts are the leaves and seeds ; the
p te er > however, are rarely employed. As some doubts have been ex-as to the equal activity of cultivated specimens, wild or native'7 ts are to be preferred.
tyjj' foxglove leaves (Folia Digitalis ).—The leaves should be gatheredC* e lhaot is in the greatest perfection,—that is, just before or4 te 1?K the period of inflorescence ; and those are to be preferred whichl-grown and fresh. As the petioles possess less activity than thehr'?,®. or expanded portions of the leaves, they ought to be rejected,tfj p Withering (Account of the Foxglove , p. 181, i785) directs the leavest}, e p 'hied either in the sunshine, or in a tin pan or pewter dish before
ee ,
i * ^> but the more usual, and, I believe, better mode of proceeding,: ay » them in baskets in a dark place, in a drying stove. Both dried6s a nd powder should be preserved in well-stoppered bottles, covered'"" 11 - - - - - . As
loyally by dark-coloured paper, and kept in a dark cupboard.c 0(1 . Undergo changes by keeping, whereby their medicinal activity isVi rab ly diminished, they ought to be renewed annually. Dried° Ve leaves have a dull green colour, a faint odour, and a bitter
2.7 lS laste -
%, A )^ 0x ylove seeds (Semina Digitalis ).—The seeds of the foxglove are(j ’ r °undish, and of a grayish-brown colour.s tat e ^Position. —The chemistry of digitalis is in an unsatisfactoryby ‘ Tliis arises from the inconclusive and discordant results obtainedA^al Se "ho have submitted this plant to chemical examination,p. J*. of it have been published by Destouches {Bull, de Pharm. t. i.3'Bidault de Villiers (Essai sur les Propr. med. de la Digit.pourp.Hw ' ^h2), Rein and Haase (Dm. de Digit, purp. 1812, quoted inp. Pharm. Tab ell.), Le Royer (Bibl. Univers. des Sciences, t. xxvii.
July V ^24, Geneve), Welding ( Journ. of the Philadelph. Coll, of Pharm.*t)r} Radig {Pharm. Central-Blatt fur 1835, S. 209), and Brault
°8giale {Journ. de Pharm. t. xxi. p. 130, 1835).
Radig's Analysis.
(V'itafV'ghalin of Le Royer)_ 0-4
^Lancelot) .. 8-2
extractive). 147
sirtJ p bylle__ . 60
3-73 211-0
t&.(I>i
S**de of;
si: °“'
V^ acid "
^'Nv^r! a ^ u men ...». 9-3
1 ,lb re. 4;j-6
Te leaves.... . 1001
Brault and Poggiale's Analysis.Resin.
Fatty matter.
Starch.
Gum.
Lignin.
Tannin.
Salts of lime and potash.
Volatile oil.
Fixed oil.
Oxalate of potash.
a fp ia . °f Lancelot {Pharm. Central-Blatt fur 1833, p. 620) and of Radig (op.not substance has been obtained by Radig in small crystals, whose forms
C a ' r r ac . curalel y determined. It is colourless, has an acrid taste, is unchanged in’ Oilers syrup of violets green, and restores the blue colour of reddened litmus.