234 
ACTION OF VERATRUM VIRIDE AND V. ALBUM. 
Dr Oulmont (‘Neues Repertorium fur Pharmacie,’ 1868, Bd. xvn. Heft 3, P-1 JO 
publishes some interesting observations and experiments made on man, dogs rabbits, 
£5 frogs with Veratrum viride. When small, non-fatal doses were given to the lower 
animals the symptoms were localized chiefly in the diges ive, respiratory, and circula- 
toTsymptoms, aSd on the general force. In the digestive system they consisted of 
nausea of vomiting, which sometimes lasted for twenty hours, and of diarrhoea, 
doses sufficient to cause death were administered, these symptoms occurred m an exces¬ 
sive degree, but no signs of inflammation could be discovered. Ihe respirations were 
powerfully affected at an early stage ; they were sometimes . un ® 4 ^ and ^regular; they 
were sometimes diminished in number to two or even one in the minute , anc ^ & 
they were sometimes altogether stopped. The rapidity of the circulation was so 
diminished, the pulse being often reduced within fifteen minutes by from twenty t _y 
beats in the minute. The effect on the temperature was somewhat less marked. It 
falls two three, or five degrees in from an hour and a half to two hours, and it maj 
remain at this reduced point as long as twenty-four hours. The hyposthenic action is 
nearly immediately produced, and the weakness and sinking of the general force aie 
prominent effects of large doses; but even when these are sufficient to cause death 
neither muscular stiffness nor convulsions ever occur. The latter symptoms, however, 
are the special characteristics of the action of veratna For the purpose of comparison 
Oulmont examined the action of V. album. He found that it is distinguished from l that 
of V. viride by the greater violence of its effects on the digestive system, where it 
always produces inflammatory lesions, and by the greater rapidity of its action. Fma y, 
the action of the alkaloid veratria was investigated with the somewhat unexpected 
result that it is not the true active principle of veratrum. Some V. viride was com¬ 
pletely freed from the alkaloid, and an ordinary dose given to an animal; the effects 
were in all respects the same as those of the usual preparation Oulmont concludes that 
V. viride is a cardiac poison analogous to Digitalis, from which it 1 % dlstl “g^ lb ^ 1 b ^ S 
extraordinary rapidity of action. The investigation is of special interest as, until now, 
a considerable amount of uncertainty has existed as to its exact physiological action. 
Amer. Journ. of Pharmacy, from Journ. Anat. and Pays. 
HYOSCYAMUS, OR HYOCYAMUS? 
Hanne-bane; Hyocyamus. —Here are two words, says Mr. De Morgan, ‘ Athenaeum, 
August 21st, wrongly spelt according to our notions. Our English word henbane is sup¬ 
posed to indicate a plant which is fatal to domestic fowls; but nobody makes out that 
the hens ever eat it. In Gerard’s ‘ Herbal’ (1597) hanne-bane is given as the only 
French word for what they now call jusquiame, from the Italian jusqmamo. in the 
Academy’s dictionary hane-bane and hene-bane are given as obsolete forms, for which 
reference is made to jusquiame. Neither hanne nor bane has separate recognition from 
the Academy, nor does either occur in any compound except one, so far as I can hnd. 
It may be suspected that a form of the old word is seen in that “hebenon with which 
the Danish Cain murders his brother. The Greek word means hog-bean. Now, vo is 
the crude form of hog, and uvayos is bean ; hence vouvayos (hyocyamus) should be the 
word: analogous with voiroXos, boefiys, etc. The common form bocrKvayos(hy oscyamus), 
with the full genitive bos, is just such a word as we see in horses-radish, cow s-heel, 
gooses-berry, etc. It is true that the insertion may only be intended to avoid a number 
of short syllables coming together, as seems to be done in bairoXos, etc. But we need 
not preserve what to a Greek ear was only euphonic, to the confusion of etymology. 
It would surely be desirable to write hyocyamus. 
STANDARDS COMMISSION.—SECOND REPORT. 
To the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty. 
May it please your Majesty,—We, the Commissioners appointed under your Majesty’s 
Royal warrant dated the fourth day of May, 1868, for inquiry into the condition of the 
