ON NARCISSUS, 
109 
ART. XXV.— ON NARCISSUS PSEUDO-NARCISSUS, AND ITS 
ACTIVE AND EMETIC PRINCIPLE, NARC1TINE. 
By Dr. Jourdain. 
It is known that the Narcissus pseudo-narcissus has been 
the subject of many experiments; 1. M. Loiseleur Deslon- 
champs has attempted to discover the emetic principle of the 
bulbs and flowers, with the view of employing these indi- 
genous products as a substitute for ipecacuanha ; but the the- 
rapeutic experiments did not allow him to prove the presence 
of an emetic principle in this plant. 
2. MM. Avuret et Waltecamp, physicians at Valenciennes, 
affirm that they have employed, with success, the flowers of 
the narcissus, in the dose of five to fifteen decigrammes, to 
produce vomiting. 
3. M. Dnfresnoy, physician at Valenciennes, has established 
that the extract obtained from the flowers has an emetic ac- 
tion in the dose of five to fifteen centigrammes. 
4. M. Caventou, who analysed this plant, did not detect its 
emetic property; he perceived, from the analysis, that it was 
composed of a fatty odorous matter, of a yellow coloring prin- 
ciple, of gum and of vegetable fibre. M. Charpentier estab- 
lished the presence of resin, gallic acid, mucilage, extractive, 
lignin, and finally, chloride of calcium. 
M. Jourdain attributes the properties of narcissus pseudo- 
narcissus, to a peculiar principle, narcitine, of which he states 
the properties. This substance is white, sweet, and transpa- 
rent, with but little taste or smell; it is deliquescent and solu- 
ble in water, alcohol, and in vinegar. The dried scales of 
narcissus contain nearly one-half their weight of narcitine. 
This principle is less abundant in the flowers ; when they be- 
gin to fade, they only contain gum; and the same of the leaves. 
On the contrary, the bulb is less rich in extractive during ve- 
getation; it is in this principle that the emetic virtue of nar- 
cissus resides. 
