KAJDIX BELLAUON^^. 455 



which is confirmed by the somewhat offensive smell given off by our 

 stearoptene if it is heated in a glass tube. 



Buchheim's "Capsicol"' is in our opinion a doubtful substance. 



Thresh (1876-1877) succeeded in isolating a well defined, highly 

 active principle, the Capsaicin, from the extract which he obtained by 

 exhausting Cayenne pepper with petroleum. From the red liquor 

 dilute caustic lye removes capsaicin, which is to be precipitated in 

 minute crystals by passing carbonic acid through the alkaline solution. 

 They may be purified by recrystallizing them from either alcohol, ether, 

 benzine, glacial acetic acid, or hot bisulphide of carbon ; in petroleum 

 capsaicin is but very sparingly soluble, yet dissolves abundantly on 

 addition of fatty oil. The latter being present in the pericarp is the 

 cause why capsaicin can be extracted by the above process. 



The crystals of capsaicin are colourless and answer to the formula 

 CH'^O'; they melt at 59° C. and begin to volatilize at 115° C, but 

 decomposition can only be avoided by great care. The vapours of 

 capsaicin are of the most dreadfvZ acridity, and even the ordinary 

 manipulation of that substance requires much precaution. Capsaicin 

 is not a glucoside ; it is a powerful rubefacient, and taken internally 

 produces very violent burning in the stomach. 



Commerce — Chillies or Pod Pepper are shipped from Zanzibar, 

 Western Africa and Natal, but no general statistics of the quantity 

 imported into Great Britain are accessible. 



The exports from Sierra Leone in 1871 reached 7258 Ib.^ The 

 colony of Natal, which produces Cayenne Pepper in the county of 

 Victoria, where sugar-cane and coffee are also grown, shipped in the 

 same year 9072 Ib.^ 



Official returns* show that in 1871 Singapore imported 1071 cwt. 

 (119,952 lb.) of chillies, chiefly from Penang and Pegu. The spice is 

 largely consumed by the Chinese. 



Bombay imported of dried chillies in the year 1872-3, 5567 cwt. 

 (623,504 lb.) principally from the Madras Presidency, and exported 

 3323 cwt.' 



Uses — Capsicum on account of its pimgent properties is often ad- 

 ministered as a local stimulant in the form of gargle, and occasionally 

 as a liniment ; and internally to promote digestion. In all warm 

 countries it is much employed as a condiment. 



RADIX BELLADONNiE. 



Belladonna Root; F. Racine de Belladone ; G. Belladonnaiuurzel. 



Botanical Origin — Atropa Belladonna L., a tall, glabrous or 

 slightly downy herb, with a perennial stock, native of central and 

 Southern Europe, where it grows in the clearings of woods. The plant 

 extends eastward to the Crimea, Caucasia and Northern Asia Minor. 



^Ja/«r6s6eric/(<of WiggersandHusemann, 'Do. of Natal for 1871. 



1873. 567 ; also Yearbook of PItarm. 1876. *Do. of the Straits Settlements for 1871. 



251. ^ Statement of the Trade and Savif/atioii 



-Blue 5oo/t of the Colony of Sierra Leone of Bombay for 1872-73, pt. ii. 58. 91. 

 for 1871. 



