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in use in that school. It is my conviction that no reliable knowledge can be 
gained by using a preparation made in this loose manner, For use in disease, 
some definite, reliable tincture, made from a single species should be used. I am 
satisfied, however, from my inquiries, that none of the tinctures or triturations now 
in use by homceopathists is prepared from the Trillium pendulum alone. We 
must adopt one of two methods—either one species exclusively, or several com- 
bined in exact proportions,” : 
On account of its wide range, prolific growth, acridity and evident strength, | 
deem Trillium erectum, Linn., the common purple Trillium, the proper species for 
homceopathic use. In this I am upheld by Dr. T. F. Allen and others of our 
most thorough botanically educated physicians. I am assured also that our most 
important pharmacies in the East use this species, under the label 7. pendulum ; 
one pharmacy only using 7. pendulum, Ait. 
In regard to the frequency of the species of Trillium in this State (New York), 
taking 7. grandiflorum to be the most common, and giving it the value 10, the 
value in occurrence of the other species in proportion—according to my personal 
observations—would be: 
T. erectum 9, T. cernuum 6, T. pendulum, Ait., 3, 7. erythrocarpum 2, and 
T. sessile 1. 
PART USED AND PREPARATION.—The fresh tubers should be chopped 
and pounded toa pulp and weighed. Then two parts by weight of alcohol are taken, 
the pulp mixed thoroughly with one-sixth part of it, and the rest of the alcohol 
added. After having stirred the whole well, pour it into a well-stoppered bottle, 
and allow it to stand eight days in a dark, cool place. 
The tincture, separated from this mass by filtration, should have a light, 
slightly brownish-orange color, by transmitted light, no distinguishing odor nor 
taste, an acid reaction, and should raise a soap-like foam on shaking. This 
tincture will deposit a heavy cream-colored sediment on standing, which can be 
filtered off without detriment to it. This sediment, when dried, forms an amor- 
phous mass, without odor or taste, and answers to none of the starch tests. It 
is insoluble in water, alcohol, ether, alkalies, or acids to any extent; melts at 
249° (480.2° F.), and burns at a higher temperature with a bright yellow flame, 
leaving no ash. 
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS.—77i//ine. Prof. E. S. Wayne* separated from 
a tincture of Trillium, a dry, whitish, amphorous, pulverable, powerfully acrid mass, 
soluble in alcohol, and forming, when shaken with water, a permanent, opaline, 
frothing, soap-like mixture. A tincture of this body, spread thinly on glass, formed 
a bright glistening scale. bes 
He also separated a volatile oil, gum, resin, extractive, tannic acid and starch, 
I have followed his line of procedure and corroborated his analysis in full, 
having, however, too small quantities of the resultants to further experiment upon, 
I shall, next season, analyze the tubers of Trillium erectum and other species, to 
# Am. Four. Phar., 1856, p. §12- 
