6 ACONITUM NAPELLUS 



it is not generally cultivated, the Pharmacopoeia of that country 

 directs the recently dried leaves to be used. 



General Characters and Composition. The fresh leaves have 

 no marked odour, and but little taste at first, being merely 

 herbaceous, and very slightly bitter ; but after a short time they 

 are persistently burning, and cause a remarkable feeling of 

 tingling and numbness in the mouth and throat. 



The principal constituents of aconite leaves are aconitia in 

 small proportion ; and aconitic acid. The experiments of Schoon- 

 broodt also indicate the probable presence of the aconella of Smith. 

 Aconitic acid is the same substance as described by Braconnot, 

 under the name of Equisetic Acid, and by Baup, as Citridic Acid. 

 The characters of Aconitia, and of the other constituents of 

 aconite leaves, are described below under Aconiti Kadix and 

 Aconitia. 



2. ACONITI RADIX. General Characters and Composition. 

 When fresh aconite root varies in length from 3 to 6 or even in 

 rare cases 8 inches. In form it closely resembles that of the 

 common parsnip, being broad at the base, and tapering down- 

 wards to a fine thread-like point ; the upper extremity is gene- 

 rally about the thickness of the middle finger, but frequently 

 an inch or more in diameter. It descends perpendicularly into 

 the earth, giving off in its passage numerous cylindrical rootlets, 

 each being about the thickness of a common knitting needle. 

 Both the root and rootlets are coffee-coloured or dark brown 

 externally ; and whitish internally. The odour is merely 

 earthy; and the taste at first only very slightly bitter, but 

 in a few minutes a burning sensation and a peculiar feeling 

 of tingling and numbness is perceived in the lips, cheeks, and 

 tongue. 



As is noticed under Cochlearia Armoracia, aconite root has, 

 notwithstanding its marked difference of appearance, been substi- 

 tuted for horseradish root, and thereby caused several fatal cases 

 of poisoning. To the distinctive characters of the two roots 

 there given in a tabular form, we may add that a pinkish colour 

 is soon developed on the scrapings of aconite root. 



