{ 
10: TURNBULL ON RANUNCULACE, 
as Veratria, and may be employed with advantage in painful rheu- 
matic and neuralgic affections. One sixth part of a grain, made into 
a pill, and given three or four times a day, appears to be the proper 
dose, and it should be continued, and gradually increased in quantity 
according to circumstances. This preparation alsoinduces sensations 
of heat and tingling on the surface of the skin, and sometimes acts 
as a diuretic. 
Preparation of Veratria. 
Veratria, the active principle of the Sabadilla seeds, was discover- 
ed by MM. Pelletier and Caventou, in the year 1819,* and about 
the same time in Germany by Meissner and Van Mons. In their 
subsequent investigations, the two first-named chemists detected the 
presence of asimilar principle in the bulb of the Colchicum Autum- 
nale,and in the root of the Veratrum Album: the substance 
obtained from the colchicum, however, has since been discovered by 
MM. Geiger and Hesse, to differ from Veratria in several important 
particulars, to be afterwards noticed, and they have in consequence 
considered it as a new principle under the name of Colchicine.t 
The true nature of the alcaloid extracted from the white hellebore, 
- is still unknown ; so that the Veratria of commerce may be consi- 
dered as being obtained entirely from the Sabadilla seeds. 
Until very lately, Veratria, as obtained according to the processes 
employed by its discoverers, was considered to be a simple body; but 
from the recent investigations of M. Couerbe, it appears to consist of 
four distinct substances, to which he has given the names Veratrine, 
Veratrin, Sabadilline, and Mono-hydrate of Sabadilline; and these 
are obtained separately in the following manner :—A_ concentrated 
tincture, made by digesting Sabadilla seeds with boiling alcohol, is 
slowly evaporated to the consistence of an extract, which is next 
dissolved in water acidulated with sulphuric acid, and the solution 
filtered, after being heated to the boiling temperature. The liquor 
obtained, holds dissolved in it the four substances above-mentioned, 
along with a quantity of colouring matter. By the addition of potass, 
they are all precipitated, and the precipate is to be re-dissolved in 
alcohol, and the tincture thus obtained is evaporated to the consis- 
tence of an extract, and this again dissolved in acidulated water, as 
before. ‘The addition of potass to this solution, throws down a 
light-coloured precipitate, which, when dried, is nearly white, and 
constitutes the Veratria of commerce. As thus obtained, it is acrid, 
alcaline, and forms incrystallizable salts with acids. 
This substance, however, is still in an impure state, and is again 
to be dissolved in water acidulated with sulphuric acid. To this 
solution nitric acid is to be added, so as to throw down an abundant 
dark-coloured precipitate. The liquid is next poured cautiously off, 
and a solution of potass or ammonia is added, drop by drop, as long 
* Journal de Physique, 1819. ¢ Journal de Pharmacie, 1834. 
