2 HELLEBOEUS NIGER 



extent into wedge-shaped portions. The roots are numerous, 

 unbranched, cylindrical, about the thickness of a common knit- 

 ting needle, and usually several inches in length, and when 

 broken across they present a central undivided, or but very 

 slightly stellate, woody axis or meditullium, of a whitish or 

 yellowish-white colour. Both the rhizome and roots have a 

 brownish-black colour; a feeble odour, which has been compared 

 to that of senega root ; and a bitterish, slightly acrid taste. 



The rhizome and roots of Baneberry (Actcea spicata) are fre- 

 quently substituted for, or mixed with, black hellebore, but the 

 former may be readily distinguished by making a transverse 

 section, or breaking across one of its roots, which will be found 

 to exhibit a meditullium with the woody bundles distinctly 

 arranged in a cruciate, triangular, or more or less radiate manner, 

 according to its thickness, whereas in black hellebore the roots 

 have an entire or but very slightly divided meditullium. Another 

 ready means of distinguishing the spurious drug is by adding to 

 its infusion a solution of a persalt of iron, when it is immediately 

 blackened, owing to the presence of tannic acid. No change is 

 produced in an infusion of black hellebore under the same circum- 

 stances, as it contains no tannic acid. 



Bastick first discovered a crystalline, non- volatile, neutral prin- 

 ciple in black hellebore, having a bitter taste, and also producing 

 a tingling sensation on the tongue. Subsequently, Marme and 

 Husemann obtained from the leaves and roots of black hellebore, 

 and from similar parts of Helleborus viridis, two glucosides, which 

 they called helleborin and Tielleborein. Both were obtained in 

 crystals ; the former being resolvable into sugar, and a peculiar 

 principle which they termed helleboresin ; and the latter into 

 sugar, and a principle with a fine violet colour called helleboretin. 

 Both helleborin and helleborein are stated to be poisonous, and 

 the former highly narcotic. 



Medical Properties and Uses. Black hellebore is a drastic 

 hydragogue cathartic, and is also regarded as an emmenagogue 

 and anthelmintic. It was greatly esteemed by the ancients, but 

 at present is but little employed in this country. In the United 



