274 LILIACE^E. 



shorter than the sepals, recurved. Ovary 3 celled, free from the perianth ; 

 styles 3, diverging. Pod 3-lobed, of 3 raenibx "eoui. carpels, united in 

 the axis, but separating when mature, several-seeded. 



A stout herbaceous ^'fii'ennial, 2 to 4 feet high. Stems simple, fi-om a 

 thickened rootstock, bosct --.vith numerous strong, fibrous rootlets. Leaves 

 broadly oval, pointed, sheathing at the base, strongly plaited, the lower 

 large, the upper very much reduced. Flowers in dense spike-like racemes 

 arranged in a large, leafy panicle, appearing in June and July. 



Ilabilal. — In swamps and low grounds ; everywhere common, often as- 

 sociated with skunk-cabbage. 



ParU Csed. — The rhizome and rootlets ; official name, Veratrum viride 

 — United State.H Pharmaroixcia. 



Covdifuenls. — The active princii^les of veratrum viride appear to be of 

 a rather comi)lex character. In 1SG5 tAvo alkaloids were discovered in the 

 drug, which received the names viridia and veratroidia. The first-named 

 was afterward shown to be impure Jcrvia, Avhile verafroldia, upon inves- 

 tigation, yielded a number of proximate principles. None of these princi- 

 ples, however, have been separated in commercial (juantities. At most 

 only a trace of verairina (vendrine) lias been discovered in veratrum viride, 

 this alkaloid being procured for medicinal purposes from the seed of 

 Amgra^a officinali'i Lindley ( Veratrum mbadUla Schlecht). 



Preparations. — Extractum veratri viridis fluidum — fluid extract of vera- 

 trum viride ; tinctura veratri viridis — tincture of veratrum viride. — United 

 States Pharmacopoeia. 



Medical Propertien and Uses. — Veratrum viride is a powerful irritant 

 whether employed externally or internally. The powdered drug, when 

 snuifed up the nostrils, even in minute quantities, causes violent sneezing ; 

 moistened and applied to the cutaneous surface, it jn'oduces redness and 

 burning. Taken internally, it reduces the fulness and frequency of the 

 pulse, and, if the dose be large, or long-continued, excites nausea, vomiting, 

 and purging and causes great prostration. It is used chiefly in inflamma- 

 tory affections of a decidedly sthenic type, particularly tho.se of the respira- 

 tory organs. Many practitioners rely upon it almost to the entire exclusion 

 of other agents in the earh' stage of pneumonia, claiming that, b}' control- 

 ling the heart's action, it limits the inflammatory process. Its action is, 

 however, rather diflicult to gauge properly, for at the very moment of pro- 

 ducing ito happiest eft'ects upon the heart, distressing nausea and vomiting 

 may occur and reduce the patient to a dangerous degree. It is plainly con- 

 tra-hidicated in cardiac del)ility and in all asthenic conditions of whatever 

 nature. 



CHAM^LIRIUM.— Devil's Bit. 



Chamaelirium luteum Gray (Helonias lutea Alton). — Blazinrj-Slar, 

 Devil's Bit, Stancorl 



Description. — Flowers dioecious. Perianth of G, separate, spatulate- 



