10 
ON  CHELIDONIUM  MAJUS. 
Of  the  various  analyses  of  chelerythrina  or  sanguinarina,  the 
latest  is  by  Dr.  Schiel,  and  probably  the  most  correct  one  ;  he 
found  Cgg  Hjg  NOg.  The  composition  of  chelidonina  has  been 
given  as  0,^  H^^  0^. 
The  latest  discovery  of  a  new  constituent  has  been  made 
by  Zwenger,  who  isolated  a  new  strong  organic  acid,  chelidoninic 
acid,  of  the  composition  C^^^  H^^^  O-^g.  The  plant  it  appears, 
therefore,  has  the  following  composition :  Chelidonina,  chelery- 
thrina (sanguinarina),  chelidonic,  chelidoninic  and  malic  acid, 
chelidoxanthin,  albumen,  phosphate  of  lime,  nitrate  of  potassa, 
chloride  of  potassium  ;  probably,  also,  an  acrid  volatile  principle, 
which  is  dissipated  by  drying. 
To  judge  from  the  composition,  celandine  ought  to  possess 
some  valuable  remedial  properties,  and  indeed  it  has  been  held 
in  high  repute  in  Europe  for  many  centuries,  and  is  officinal  in 
most  of  the  European  Pharmacopoeias.  Although  the  root  ap- 
pears to  contain  the  largest  proportion  of  the  alkaloids  and  some 
of  the  acids,  and  though  the  root  and  flowers  have  been  occa- 
sionally employed,  still  the  flowering  herb  is  the  part  usually 
ordered  by  the  Pharmacopoeias.  It  is  gathered  during  the 
months  of  May  and  June  and  carefully  dried. 
According  to  Orfila's  experiments  on  animals,  celandine  be- 
longs to  the  acrid  poisons,  while  in  its  fresh  state,  but  is  more 
harmless  after  drying.  It  is  then  regarded  to  contain  resolvent, 
diuretic,  diaphoretic  and  laxative  properties,  to  possess  a  pecu- 
liar action  on  the  liver,  the  uterine  and  hemorrhoidal  vessels, 
and  in  larger  doses  to  exert  the  influence  of  the  pure  acrid 
remedies  in  general.  It  has,  therefore,  been  highly  recommended 
in  jaundice  and  other  chronic  diseases  of  the  liver,  in  uterine 
and  hemorrhoidal  disorders,  and  in  certain  dropsical,  scrofulous 
and  venereal  aff"ections.  Externally  it  has  been  employed  in  some 
diseases  of  the  eye,  in  various  swellings  and  pussy  gatherings, 
and  the  fresh  juice  against  warts,  after  they  have  been  previ- 
ously somewhat  cut  olF. 
Only  the  extract  has  been  admitted  as  an  officinal  preparation 
in  the  various  Pharmacopoeias.  Most  of  them  prepare  it  of  the 
consistence  of  a  stiff  extract ;  that  of  Bavaria  gives  the  follow- 
ing directions  :  The  fresh  herb  is  bruised  in  a  stone  mortar 
with  a  wooden  pestle,  and  expressed ;  the  residue  is  digested 
