DAPHNE MEZEREUM. 
“by Vanquelin, to which he gave the name of Daphnin. By 
digesting the bark in alcohol, then evaporating the liquid to 
separate the resin, and diluting the residual fluid with water, 
filtering and adding acetate of lead, he obtained a copious 
yellow precipitate, which, when freed from the lead by means 
of sulphuretted hydrogen gas, he found this vegetable princi- 
ple, sui generis. It is colorless and transparent, crystallizes in 
aggregated prisms, is very soluble in water, alcohol, or ether, is 
inodorous and of an acrid taste. It is considered analogous 
to asparagin, and that when pure it has very slight powers. 
It is not the active principle of Mezereon. 
The acrid resin is obtained by boiling the bark in alcohol; 
when the solution cools, some wax is deposited. The super- 
natant liquor is to be evaporated, and the residual extract 
washed with water. The resin then left behind is dark green, 
and soluble in both alcohol and ether. To this substance 
Mezereon owes its acridity. There is, however, some reason 
to suspect that this resin is itself a compound of two princi- 
ples, viz. an acrid vesicating fixed oil, and another substance. 
The resin is rendered soluble in water by means of the other 
constituents of the bark. There are, in addition to those al- 
ready enumerated, wax, a trace of volatile oil, yellow coloring 
principle, uncrystallizable but fermentable sugar, nitrogenous 
gummy matter, reddish-brown extractive, woody fibre, free 
malic acid and malates of potash, lime, and magnesia. 
Darune Mezerevum operates as a stimulating diaphoretic, 
increasing the general arterial action, and determining pow- 
erfully to the surface ; but it is apt to occasion vomiting and 
purging. It has long been externally employed as a stimulus 
to ill-conditioned ulcers, and the recent bark, macerated in 
vinegar and applied to the skin, is recommended in chronic 
cases of a local nature; under certain management it pro- 
duces a serious discharge without blistering, and is thus ren- 
dered useful by answering the purpose of what is called a 
perpetual blister, while it occasions less pain and inconven- 
ience. To form the issue, the bark must be renewed every 
night and morning, and afterwards once in twenty-four hours, 
to keep open the drain. It has been employed successfully 
as a local stimulant in a case of difficulty of swallowing oc- 
_casioned by paralysis. Though the case was of three years’ 
‘Standing, the patient recovered the power of swallowing in 
about a month, by very frequently chewing thin slices of the 
root. For this purpose, it should be sliced longitudinally, as 
the acrimony resides in the bark only, the woody fibre being 
nearly inert. Internally a decoction of this bark has been 
used against chronic rheumatism, scrofulous swellings, lepra, 
_ The branches make a good yellow dye. 
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