COLCHICUM 631 



■uterine inertia, to prevent post-partum hemorrhage, to 

 induce abortion, and to arrest metrorrhagia. A decoction ' 

 ( § iv. to qt. boiled down to Oi.) is said to be more active 

 than the fluid extract. Bose.—R. & C, Oi. (500 )• D ? i -ii 

 (30.-60.). ' 



Ergot is generally to be preferred as a more thoroughly 

 understood and reliable drug. 



SECTION XVI.— COLCHICUM. 



CoLOHici CoBMUS. Colchicum Corm. (U. S. & B. P.) 



Synonym. — Meadow saffron root, colchicum corm, bnl- 

 bus seu tuber colchici, E.; bnlbe de colchique, de safran 

 b^tard, Fr.; zeitlosenknoUen, Q. 



The corm of colchicum autumnale Linne (nat. ord. 

 Li4iace8e). 



Habitat. -^'Engl&ndi and continental Europe. 



Description.— About 25 Mm. long, ovoid, flattish and 

 with a groove on one side ; externally brownish and 

 wrinkled ; internally wjiite and solid ; often in transverse 

 slices, reniform in shape, and breaking with a short, mealy 

 fracture ; inodorous ; taste sweetish, bitter and somewhat 

 acrid. 



Constituents. — 1, the alkaloid colchicine (CjjHjjNOs), is the 

 active principle; it exists to the extent of 0.5 per cent.; is 

 amorphous or crystalline, and soluble in water and alcohol ; 

 2, colchiceine (CjiHjjNOe), occurs naturally and is produced 

 artificially by the action of acids on colchicine ; slightly 

 soluble in water, soluble in alcohol ; 3, sugar ; 4, starch ; 

 5, gum. 



Incompatihles. — Astringents, tincture of guaiacum and 

 iodine. 



Dose.— H. & C, 3 ss.-ii. (2.-8.) ; Sh., gr.x.-xx. (.6-1.3) ; 

 Sw. & D., gr.ii.-viii. (.12-.5) in powder. 



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