ON  VERATRUM  VIRIDE. 
325 
In  strong  Hydrochloric  Acid — both  dissolved  in  the  cold  to  faint 
yellow  solutions ;  boiling  deepened  the  color.  After  standing 
twenty-four  hours,  the  solutions  assumed  a  turbid  greenish  color. 
[Veratria,  as  was  shown  by  Trapp  in  1863,  dissolves  to  a 
colorless  solution  in  cold  hydrochloric  acid ;  when  boiled  it  as- 
sumes a  red  color,  that  finally  becomes  intense,  resembling  that 
of  permanganate  of  potassa.]  This  reaction  is  very  sensitive, 
even  with  the  impure  veratria  of  commerce, — the  color  remain- 
ing with  little  change  in  a  closed  test  tube,  after  the  lapse  of 
ten  days. 
Fusibility. — The  alkaloid  soluble  in  ether  fused  at  270°  to 
275°  F. ;  the  other  at  335°  to  340°  F.  [Veratria,  according  to 
Soubeiran,  fuses  at  115°  C.,=239°  F. 
The  therapeutical  effects  of  the  two  products  have  been  so 
fully  described  by  Gr.  J.  Scattergood,  that  a  confirmation  of 
them  seems  to  be  unnecessary.  What  was  described  by  him  as 
a  resin,  my  experiments  tend  to  show  is  a  distinct  base  ;  and  to 
which  Mr.  S.  ascribes  much  more  potency  in  its  effects  upon  the 
circulatory  system,  than  to  the  alkaloid  isolated  by  himself  and 
others.  The  reactions  of  both  these  principles  with  sulphuric 
acid,  carefully  repeated,  and  with  hydrochloric  acid,  tend  to  the 
belief  that  neither  of  them  is  veratria,  properly  considered,  al- 
though this,  and  the  deportment  with  other  reagents,  show  a 
close  connexion  between  them.  Whether  the  product  insoluble 
in  ether  is  analogous  in  like  manner  to  veratrin,  I  am  unable  to 
inform  myself,  as  I  know  of  no  account  of  the  deportment  of 
that  principle  with  reagents. 
The  experiments  of  Dr.  S.  R.  Percy  (Chemical  News,  Aug. 
20,  1864,)  differed  from  my  own  in  some  particulars,  so  import- 
ant, especially  regarding  the  precipitated  alkaloid  assuming  a 
crystalline  form  after  some  hours,  that  I  repeated  the  trial  under 
different  forms,  using  different  precipitating  solutions, — as  potas- 
sa, carbonate  of  potassa,  and  ammonia, — but  always  with  the 
same  result,  as  before  stated. 
The  resinous  matter  precipitated  by  pouring  the  fluid  extract 
into  water,  I  have  set  aside  for  a  future  examination. 
Philada.,  Aug.  15,  1865. 
