150 GENTIANINE. 
awe of Alephol: at 249.08. t. 6 caccsi) eile. pl Onn 
Gentianine . . . 5 grains 
This may be substituted for the tincture 2 eran of the pharmacopeias. 
SYRUP OF GENTIANINE. 
Take of Simple Syrup. .°. . . . . . . Ipound 
Gentianine . o Welley sol6-prains :: Mix; 
This is probably one of the best bitters that can be = in scrophu- 
lous affections. 
Se DELPHININE or DELPHINE. 
Tuts vegetable alkali was discovered in 1819, by MM. Feneulle and Las- 
saigne, in the seeds of the Delphinium Staphisagria, (savesacre) who named 
it Delphine, from a supposition that the acrid properties of the whole tribe 
depended upon this principle. We have not learnt, however, that any other 
species of Delphinium have been chemically examined. 
To obtain the alkali, boil the seeds of the staphisagria, cleared of their 
husks and ground to a fine paste, in a little distilled water; pass the decoction 
through a linen cloth, and filtrate it. Add very pure magnesia, and boil for 
some minutes; filtrate again; wash the residue carefully, and digest in highly 
rectified alcohol. On evaporating the solution, Delphine is obtained in the 
form of a white powder, which affords some points of crystallization. It may 
be obtained also by acting with diluted sulphuric acid on the seed, unshelled, 
but well bruised: the solution is to be precipitated by subearbonate of potass, 
and the precipitate acted on by alcohol; but when obtained by this process, 
it is very impure. 
Properties of Delphine. Delphine, when pure, is in the form of a white 
powder, which, when wet, is crystalline, but becomes opaque on exposure to 
the atmosphere. It is inodorous, and has a bitter, acrid taste. Alcohol and 
' ether dissolve it very = The alcoholic solution acts powerfully in turn- 
