PROPERTIES OF THE VERATRIA OF COMMERCE. 47 
means, but only for the purpose of obviating the constipating effects 
of the remedy. : j 
fn paralysis, the Veratria is worthy of a further trial; but my late 
experience with it does not warrant the assertion that it is a decid- 
edly useful remedy. In partial paralytic cases it might be used, and 
probably with some degree of advantage, but in severe cases it ap- 
pears to be of as little service as other remedies. 
The friction ought to be made along the course of theaffected nerves, 
two or three times a day, until the tingling is produced ; but, as a 
general direction, fifteen or twenty grains, to an ounce of lard, will 
be strong enough ; and frictions of ten to twenty minutes’ duration 
each, will be sufficient for the purpose of giving it a trial. The 
tincture of Sabadilla, however, is a much better remedy and certainly 
deserves the preference. 
Properties of the Constituents of the Veratria of Commerce: 
_ Ir has been already stated, that M. Couerbe has succeeded in ob- 
taining four alcaloids from the Veratria of Commerce, viz., Veratrine, 
Veratrin, Sabaditline, and the Mono-hydrate, or Gum Resin of 
Sabadilline ; we have also described the processes by which these 
substances may be procured separately, and shall now give a few fur- 
ther particulars of their history and properties. 
Veratrine.—M. Couerbe considers Veratrine as the pure active 
principle upon which the properties of Sabadilla seeds depend. It 
is white, solid, and friable ; insoluble in water, but very soluble in 
aleahol and ether, and forms erystallizable salts with acids. Its 
medical properties, may be considered precisely similar to those of 
Veratria. one pe . 
VeERATRIN.—This substance has a brown colour, it is insoluble 
in water, and differs from the preceding in being insoluble in 
ether. It is soluble in alcohol; with nitric acid, it forms oxalic acid. 
Its medicinal action has not been tried, but may be inferred to be 
similar to that of Veratria. 
SABADILLINE.—When in a state of purity, Sabadilline is white 
and crystalline ; it is very acrid to the taste, it is completely soluble 
in water and in alcohol, but insoluble in ether ; it combines with 
sulphuric acid, and formsa crystallizable sulphate. It is distinguish- 
ed from Veratria by its solubility in water, by its insolubility in 
ether, and by its forming crystals. ‘The Sabadilline which I have 
employed, is in the form of a fine light brown powder, and not so 
pure as that obtained by M. Couerbe. In this state it is very solu-_ 
ble in water and alcohol, but insoluble in ether, and has the following 
properties. ) 
Its taste is acrid but not bitter, and it produces a slight sensation 
of cold when first applied to the tongue ; when applied to the nos- 
trils it irritates the mucous membrane and occasions sneezing, but 
not so violently as Veratria. When administered internally in the 
dose of one-sixth part of a grain, every two hours, it gives rise to 
effects very similar to those produced from the administration of 
