6 SCROPHULARINE^. 



promineiit longitudinal ridges ; testa tubercular, each, tubercle 

 minutely granular. Tbe portions of stem^ wbicb are numerous, 

 are woody and covered by a tbin grey bark ; tbe central pitb is 

 very large. Tbe drug bas a sligbtly bitter somewbat tea-like 

 taste. 



4- 

 h 



Chemical composition. — The powdered drug treated with ether 

 yielded a dark olive-green extract, consisting of chlorophyll 

 and uncrystallizable fatty matter. Subsequent percolation 

 with alcohol removed a deep brown extract, from which 

 cubical crystals of alkaline chlorides separated on cvajjoration. 

 An aqueous solution of this extract had a saltish taste and gave 

 distinct precipitates with alkaloidal tests. The alkaloid was 

 removed by ether in an amorphous condition, and gave no well- 

 marked colour reactions with the strong mineral acids. By 

 continuing the exhaustion of the powdered drug with water, a 

 deep reddish brown extract was obtained havinj? a bitterish and 

 nauseous taste, and containing saccharine and other matters 

 which readily fermented. In order to ascertain if the drug 

 contained a substance similar to digitalin, a fresh decoction of 

 the powder was filtered and precipitated by tannin, the preci- 

 pitate washed, mixed with an excess of alkali, and shaken with 

 ether. The result was the separation of an alkaloid similar to 

 that previously found. As more recent investigators prepare 



digitalin by exhausting with alcohol after treatment of the drug 

 with water, this process was adopted with Schiceinfurthia. 

 The resinous matter collected had an acrid taste, but no principle 

 could be obtained possessing the properties of digitalin, 

 digitomn or digitoxin, to which, according to Schmiedeberg, the 



poisonous quahties of digitalis are due. Besides the alkaloid, 

 which we consider to be the active principle, the drug yielded 



matter 



Hook. IC. PI; 



Lindenbergia urtic^folia, Lehm., ^.... ... . .., 



It haa a faint aromatic odour anrl . «l,-I.i„ 1 



The 



