468 VEGETABLE DEUGS 



enteritis, peritontis, and abdominal wounds and injuries. 

 Veratrum is said to relieve pain, lower temperature and 

 lessen the duration of acute rheumatic fever. 



Veeateum Album.* 



Synonym. — Veratri albi rhizoma, white hellebore root, 

 E. 



Habitat. — Europe (used on the continent). 



Constituents. — 1. Protoveratrine (CggHgjjSFOn), an 

 alkaloid acting like veratrine on the heart. 2. Jervine, 

 3. Rubijervine. 4. Pseudojervine and other alkaloids. The 

 Germans recommend it to be given as an emetic to swine, in 

 milk, gr.v.xx. (.3-1.3), and as an emetic to cattle, 3 iv.-vi. 

 (16.-24.). Its use is, however, attended with some danger 

 in these doses. 



Veeateiita. Veratrine.f (U. S. & B. P.) 



A mixture of alkaloids obtained from the seed of 

 Asagrsea officinalis (Schlechtendal et Chamisso) Lindley 

 (nata. ord. Liliacea;). (U. S. P.) 



Derivation. — Obtained from the seed by alcohol, which 



is recovered by distillation, and the residue is treated with 



water to precipitate resins; filtered, and veratrine is precipi- 



' tated from the filtrate by ammonia. It is further purified by 



solution in water, decolori-zation, and reprecipitation. 



Properties. — A white, or grayish-white, amorphous, or 

 semi-crystalline powder ; odorless, but causing intense irri- 

 tation and sneezing when even a minute quantity reaches 

 the nasal mucous membrane; having an acrid taste, and leav- 

 ing a sense of tingling and numbness on the tongue. Per- 

 manent in the air. Very slightly soluble in cold or hot 

 water; soluble in 3 parts of alcohol, and very soluble in 

 boiling alcohol ; also soluble in 6 parts of ether, and in 2 

 parts of chloroform. 



* Veratrum (U.S.P.) now includes both Veratrum viride {Ameri- 

 can Hellebore) and Veratrum Album (White Hellebore). 



t This substance contains the pure alkaloid veratrine (CszHjoNOs), 

 veratrine of Wright ( C.,7H53NOii ) , an(^ cevadine. The action described 

 is that of pure veratrine. 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



