ON  VERATRUM  VIR1DE. 
Ill 
subacetate  of  lead,  separated  the  excess  of  lead  with  sulphuretted 
hydrogen,  evaporated  to  one  half,  boiled  with  an  excess  of  magnesia. 
The  precipitate  was  collected  on  a  filter,  dried,  treated  with  boiling 
alcohol  and  animal  charcoal,  and  the  filtered  alcoholic  solution 
evaporated.  The  light  colored  pulverulent  residue  was  nearly 
insoluble  in  water,  more  soluble  in  ether,  and  very  soluble  in  al- 
cohol. It  melted  when  heated,  and  burned  without  residue.  It 
had  a  burning  acrid  taste,  acted  powerfully  as  a  sternutatory,  and 
formed  salts  with  the  acids;  none  of  which  were  crystallizable  but 
the  sulphate,  tartrate  and  oxalate.  From  these  properties,  Mr. 
Worthington  infers  the  identity  of  this  substance  with  veratria. 
In  the  absence  of  therapeutic  experiments  or  an  elementary 
analysis,  the  view  of  Dr.  Osgood  is  strongly  probable,  that  it  is 
not  veratria,  but  like  colchicia,  a  distinct,  though  analogous  prin- 
ciple. Dr.  Osgood,  after  detailing  his  experiments,  observes  very 
properly,  that  "  the  general  impression  of  identity  in  active  prin- 
ciple with  the  European  species  has  greatly  interfered  with  the  in- 
vestigation this  plant  deserves  and  would  otherwise  have  re- 
ceived. "This  remark  is  but  too  true,  and  so  strong  is  the  pre- 
judice in  favor  of  exotic  drugs,  that  some  of  the  most  powerful  and 
valuable  of  our  indigeuous  plant  sare  neglected  by  the  Profession 
until  forced  on  their  notice  by  the  results  obtained  by  quacks  and 
pretenders.  In  our  opinion  the  question  of  the  true  chemical 
character  of  the  active  principle  of  veratrum  viride  is  well  worth 
the  attention  of  pharmaceutical  chemists.  It  is  well  known  that 
sabadilla,  and  veratrum  album,  contain  each  a  peculiar  alkaloid 
besides  veratria,  sabadillia  and  jervia,  a  peculiarity  likewise 
noticed  in  sanguinaria,  cinchona,  and  mix  vomica.  May  not  this 
be  true  of  the  American  veratrum  ?  With  these  preliminary  re- 
marks, we  will  give  an  extract  from  the  last  of  Dr.  Norwood's 
papers  on  the  properties  of  Veratrum  viride  : — Southern  Med.  and 
Surg.  Jour.,  Jan.  1853. 
"  1st,  It  is  acrid.  This  property  is  very  limited  and  confined 
to  ihe  fauces.  2d,  It  is  adanagic,  deobstruent,  or  alterative  ;  this  pro- 
perty it  possesses  in  a  marked  and  very  high  degree,  not  equalled 
by  calomel  or  iodine  in  this  particular,  which  will  adapt  it  to  the 
relief  and  cure  of  many  diseases  hitherto  beyond  the  reach  of  any 
remedy.  Of  this  class  of  diseases,  those  which  we  think  will  be 
much  benefitted  by  it  are  cancer  and  consumption.  3d,  It  is 
actively  and  decidedly  expectorant,  so  much  so  that  we  rarely  add 
