642 MEDICAL BOTANY. 



There is but one species known, a native of Mexico. This is officinal. 



A. officinalis, Lindley. — Bulbous. Leaves linear, tapering to a point, even, smooth, 

 entire, furrowed above, carinate beneath. Scape naked, tall, simple, with a long raceme. 

 Perianth deeply 6-partite, spreading, permanent, with linear, thick, obtuse segments, three 

 of which are rather broader than the others. Filaments 6, somewhat clavate, those oppo- 

 site the broad segments of perianth longer than the others. Anthers rather large, cor- 

 date, obtuse. Ovary of 3 cells, united by the sutures. Fruit 3-capsular. 



Lindley, Bot. Reg. 1839 ; Helonias officinalis, Don, Edin. Phil. Jour. 

 1832 ; Lindley, Fl. Med. 586 ; Veratrum officinale, Schlechtendal, Limiea, 

 vi. 45. 



This plant, which is known in its native country under the name of Ceba- 

 dilla or Sabadilla, was noticed by Monardes, under the former appellation, in 

 1573. He states that the seeds are very acrid, and even caustic : " Sic, ut 

 ubi cauteriam necessarium est in gangrenis et putridis impurisque ulceribus 

 eosdem prebeat effectus ;" and adds that they are also employed to destroy 

 vermin breeding in wounds and sores. For a long time it was supposed that 

 Cebadilla seeds were furnished by the Veratrum sabadilla ; but Scheide dis- 

 covered that they were produced by a wholly different plant, on which Lind- 

 ley erected the genus Asagrcea. 



The Cebadilla of the shops consists of the follicles, seeds, stalks, and abor- 

 tive flowers. The follicles are oblong-ovate, acuminate, of a pale yellowish- 

 brown or reddish-gray colour, and of a thin, dry, papery consistence. The 

 seeds are small, scimetar-shaped, pointed, shining, wrinkled, slightly winged, 

 and of a blackish-brown tint. Their odour is very slight, but their taste is 

 bitter and acrid. From an analysis by Meissner (Pereira, ii. 106), it appears 

 that they contain Fatty matter, Wax, Veratria, Extractive, Gum, Resin, &c. 

 Several other components have been found by chemists ; but the main pro- 

 perties depend on the Veratria, which exists, or rather can be extracted, in 

 about the proportion of a drachm to the pound of Cebadilla. 



Veratria is in the form of a white, uncrystallizable powder, of a somewhat 

 resinous appearance*. It has an extremely acrid taste; it is nearly insoluble 

 in water, but is dissolved by alcohol and ether ; it is coloured first red and 

 then violet by sulphuric acid. 



Medical Uses. — The seeds have been employed as an anthelmintic, but 

 require much caution in their administration. An extract has proved bene- 

 ficial in painful rheumatic and neuralgic affections. But the principal em- 

 ployment of them has been for the destruction of vermin in the hair ; but 

 they should never be advised for this purpose, as dangerous consequences 

 have resulted from resorting to them with this view. Veratria has of late 

 years attracted much attention as a remedy in neuralgic rheumatism, nervous 

 affections, dropsy, &c, both internally and externally. As it is an irritant 

 poison of great energy, the utmost vigilance is necessary where it is pre- 

 scribed. The dose internally is one-sixteenth to one-twelfth of a grain. (For 

 a full account of the therapeutical employment of this substance, see Turn- 

 bull, On the Med. Prop, of the Ranunculacece, and Dunglison, New Reme- 

 dies, 586.) 



Veratrum.' — Linn. 



Flowers polygamous. Perianth 6- parted. Segments broad, concave, imbricated, 

 nearly equal, striated, without a pit at base. Stamens 6, equal, inserted at the base of 

 the segments. Filaments subulate. Anthers reniform, with confluent cells. Ovary with 

 3 divaricating stigmas. Capsule 3-horned, separating into 3 many-seeded follicles. 

 Seeds compressed, winged at the apex. 



