Nov. io, 1913 
Alkaloidal Content . of Belladonna Plants 
141 
while the remainder of the plant was in every respect like most of the 
other plants. The same would be true of the number of flowers and ber¬ 
ries. In such cases it could not be assumed that the plant represented 
any special type. It was also noticed that some of these distinctive 
features were subject to gradual changes, so that their distinctiveness 
was soon lost. 
While the number of plants that have been under observation was 
probably not sufficiently large to show conclusively that there is no 
definite correlation between physical appearance and active medicinal 
properties in the leaves, yet from the data at hand such a condition is 
at least indicated. Henderson, 1 in commenting on the great variation 
in the alkaloidal content of different lots of belladonna roots, points out 
that appearance is no criterion of the quality, the best appearing roots 
being often the poorest in medicinal value. 
To show by actual examples that there is apparently no relation 
between the appearance of the plant and its alkaloidal content it is 
necessary only to refer to the tables. For example, in Table I plant No. 
10 has a height of 42 inches and a spread of 3X by 4^ feet; in fact, it is 
the largest plant in the list, yet its leaves contain only 0.536 per cent of 
alkaloids, which is a trifle less than the average of all the plants. On 
the other hand, plant No. 8, which is only half as high and much smaller 
in spread, shows-0.657 P er cent of alkaloids in its leaves. Again, in 
Table II (season of 1911) plant No. 15 is the largest in the plat in point of 
height, yet its leaves assayed only 0.494 P er cent, or less than the average 
quantity of alkaloids. A similar statement may be made in regard to 
large plants Nos. 4, 43, 45, and 46, while, on the other hand, the leaves 
of the comparatively small plants, Nos. 21, 29, and iw, contained 0.630, 
0.756, and 0.682 per cent of alkaloids, respectively. The data show 
that in the following year these same plants failed again to compare 
favorably with others as regards size, yet the percentages of active 
constituent in their leaves stand out prominently above the average. 
However, plants can be pointed out in the same table which are larger 
and apparently more vigorous than the average and which also contain 
above the average percentage of alkaloids in their leaves. The lack of 
correlation is therefore very evident. 
VARIATION AMONG PLANTS 
Among the facts brought out by this investigation probably the most 
important is the great variation in the percentage of alkaloids found in 
the leaves of individual plants at each of the three testing gardens. 
That some variation should exist was to be expected, since variations 
are often noted in the chemical constituents of different plants of many 
1 Henderson, H. J. Percentage of alkaloid in belladonna root. Pharm. Jour., v. 75, no. 3485 (s.4, v . si* 
no. 1832), p. 191, 1905. * * 
