SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
227 
The flidd extract of the leaves and the root are of uniform 
strength, so that it does not matter which of these two prepara¬ 
tions is selected. 
The fresh leaves and roots should contain from 2 per cent, 
to 6 per cent, of atropine, the average being about 4 per cent. 
In regard to the strength of fluid extracts, if the product is 
pure and reliable, it should contain .004 grams of atropine to 
the gram, i. e., each minim should contain about 1/250 of a 
grain, and each fluid ounce, 1.8 grain of atropine. The fluid 
extract of belladonna, like many prepared drugs, varies greatly 
in potency, some samples being entirely wanting in medi¬ 
cinal activity. A prominent physician prescribed 60 grams (2 
oz. bottle) of fluid extract of belladonna for a small boy to be 
taken in two minim doses every two hours. The boy misun¬ 
derstood the directions and took two teaspoonfuls at each dose 
and returned in the morning for more medicine, feeling none 
the worse from the error. A horse drenched with one pint 
(280 grams) worked the following day without apparent in¬ 
convenience. When we take into consideration the u power¬ 
ful ” as well as the reliable effect of atropine itself, it is essen¬ 
tial to demand some assurance of reliability in procuring fluid 
extracts, which the above instances show conclusively is not 
always reliable. 
The Sulphate of Atropine. —The atropine sulphate is a very 
bitter, nauseating, crystalline powder, obtained by dissolving 
atropine in dilute sulphuric acid. It is soluble in 0.4 parts of 
water, and in about 6 parts of alcohol. Its formula is (C, 
N 0 3 ) 2 H 2 S 0 4 . 
The Hydrohromate of Homatropine is a white crystalline 
substance prepared by heating tropine (C 8 H l5 NO) with 
orytoluic acid in the presence of hydrochloric acid, and then 
neutralizing the product with hydrobromic acid. It was intro¬ 
duced into human ophthalmic practice about 1890, and is now 
coming into general use as a substitute for atropine as a my¬ 
driatic. 
It is very expensive and will be excluded from the veteri¬ 
nary pharmacy for some time. It is soluble in 10 parts of water, 
and in 133 parts of alcohol. 
Physiological Action of Belladonna. —Externally if applied 
with substances which are absorbed into the skin, or if applied 
to a wound or mucous membrane, belladonna will paralyze the 
terminals of sensory, secretory and motor nerves. It has a spe¬ 
cial action as a depressant to sensory nerves, and when there is 
