THE 
• AMERICAN JOURNAL 
OP 
PHARMACY. 
OCTOBER, 1837. 
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
ART. XXVII.— ON VERATRUM VIRIDE. By Thos. R. Mitchell. 
f Extracted from an Inaugural Essay. J 
EXPERIMENTS. 
The decoction, which was of a slight red colour, and some- 
what mucilaginous appearance, formed precipitates with sub- 
acetate of lead in solution, with a persalt of iron, and alcohol. 
Alcohol also rendered it turbid, indicating the presence of 
gum; the taste was nauseous and slightly bitter. The decoc- 
tion and tincture both redden litmus paper, and have their co- 
lour deepened on the addition of an alkali. With iodine the 
decoction struck a blue colour. There is a red colouring prin- 
ciple contained in this root which is taken up by alcohol; less 
so by ether, and still less by water. 
An alcoholic tincture was made by digesting §j. of the 
bruised root, for four days, in gij. of alcohol. This tincture 
was of a beautiful red or wine colour, and bitter taste. This 
was filtered, and the clear liquid evaporated. The extract 
thus obtained was of a reddish brown colour, even resinous 
fracture, and when chewed, left a very acrimonious taste on 
the mouth, which lasted for two or three hours. It resembled 
burnt sugar in smell, and, when first taken into the mouth, 
resembled that substance in taste. 
This extract was dissolved in alcohol and boiled with a 
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