54 
A CHEMICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION 
(/) On the 22nd April, Orfila gave 1| ounce of the fresh root to a small dog. 
No effect followed. The next day he introduced into the stomach of another 
dog 1 ounce of the same sample of the mot, bruised, together with about 8 
ounces of the fresh juice of the root. No effect followed.* 
( g ) Dr. Christison “found that 4| ounces of the juice, the produce of 12 ounces 
of the roots collected in November, had no effect on a dog ; and that 4 ounces 
obtained from 10 ounces of the roots in the middle of June, when the plant was 
coming into flower, merely caused diarrhoea and languor. The alcoholic extract 
of the juice obtained from 6 ounces of the roots, on the last day of May, killed 
a rabbit in 37 minutes, when introduced in a state of emulsion between the 
skin and muscles of the back, and the effects were analogous to those obtained 
with the extract of the leaves.”f 
With statements so conflicting as these, it seemed desirable that a careful ex¬ 
amination of the root should be made at the season when it is in full vigour, 
and about to put forth its leaves. 
In procuring for me a quantity of fine roots, and in providing me with a 
“succus” and an “ extract ” derived therefrom, Mr. Hemingway of Port mail 
Street has given me every inducement to make such an investigation, and my 
obligations are due to him for affording me these and other facilities in the exe¬ 
cution of my task. 
The roots were removed from the ground on the 9th of January of the pre¬ 
sent year, during a short intermission of severe frost. They were large and 
well developed, many being more than two feet long, and, near the crown, 
an inch in diameter. They were all carefully examined and identified, and I 
have at this present time some fine plants of hemlock growing from a few of 
the roots, of the identity of which I was doubtful. With many, the young yel¬ 
lowish-green leaves were beginning to shoot from the crown, and here and 
there one could be found an inch long. These hemlock roots had the same 
sweet taste and pleasant flavour as the roots of the carrot, and, side by side, 
there was in this respect little to distinguish them. The hemlock roots were 
equally sweet, but the carrot roots had a stronger flavour. After chewing the hem¬ 
lock root for a few seconds, a numbing sensation like that produced by pyreth- 
rum, but milder, declared the difference. When bruised and in bulk, the hemlock 
root, moreover, had a rankish odour, approaching to that of the recent leaves. 
The roots were well washed and set aside to drain, at a temperature of about 
38° Fahr., and thirty-six hours after they were removed from the ground, 
and reduced to a coarse pulp by twice passing them between finely grooved 
iron rollers. The pulp was then placed in a number of horsehair bags, and sub¬ 
jected to a pressure of 110 tons, by means of a powerful hydraulic press. 9f 
pounds of the crushed root yielded 5^ pounds of juice, or about 56 per cent. 
The process was conducted at Mr. Buckle’s establishment, 77, Gray’s Inn Road, 
and I have to express my thanks to that gentleman for his kind help and hearty 
co-operation on this occasion. One portion of the juice was immediately con¬ 
verted, by the addition of one part of rectified spirit to every three parts of the 
juice, into a preparation corresponding to the succus conii of the British Phar¬ 
macopoeia—a “succus conii radicis.” A small portion of the crude juice was 
preserved for separate examination ; the rest was at once carefully evaporated 
down to the consistence of an extract, at a temperature below 100° Fahr. 
The Crude Juice .—The following are the characters of the crude juice :— A 
turbid brownish-white fluid, of sp. grav. 1022*8, having a decided acid reaction, 
a carrot odour, and sweet carrot taste, leaving a slight numbing sensation on the 
tongue. Heated with caustic potash it evolved an odour of conia, but not so 
strong as that from the juice of the leaves. After standing at a temperature of 
* Orfila, ‘Traite de Toxicologie/ 4me edit. ii. p. 423. 
f Christison ‘ On Poisons,’ 4th edit. p. 855. 
