THERAPEUTICAL  PROPERTIES  OF  SANGUINARINA,  ETC.  137 
ceived  until  after  the  medicine  lias  been  administered  24  to  48 
hours,  and  then  come  on  very  gradually.' '  (Western  Jour,  of 
Med.  and  Surg.  p.  397,  1847.) 
The  foregoing  extracts,  illustrating  the  observation  and  expe- 
rien  ce  of  practical  physicians  whose  attention  had  been  directed 
to  the  plant  under  consideration,  show  conclusively  that  it  is  en- 
titled to  a  more  extended  trial,  with  a  view  to  determine  "  its 
claims  to  a  prominent  position  in  the  Materia  Medica." 
In  order  to  resolve  the  question  referred  to  me,  concerning  the 
actual  value  of  the  alkaloid  existing  in  bloodroot,  and  the  salts 
formed  from  it,  I  obtained  from  Messrs.  W.  S.  Merrill  &  Co., 
of  Cincinnati,  a  portion  of  the  sulphate  of  sanguinarina,  and  I  had 
the  pure  alkaloid  and  the  acetate  prepared  therefrom  by  Mr.  W. 
K.  Warner,  of  this  city,  whose  well-known  accuracy  as  a  chemist 
is  a  sufficient  guaranty  of  the  genuineness  and  purity  of  the 
specimens  subjected  to  therapeutical  investigation. 
Sanguinarina^  as  procured  from  the  sulphate,  is  a  yellowish- 
gray  powder  without  odor,  and  almost  without  taste.  A  slight 
acrimonious  impression  is  developed  after  a  time  upon  the  tongue 
from  the  partial  solubility  of  the  alkaloid  in  saliva.  Snuffed 
into  the  nostrils  it  causes,  after  a  few  minutes,  a  burning  sensa- 
tion followed  by  sneezing.  It  is  nearly  insoluble  in  water,  spar- 
ingly soluble  in  glycerin,  and  soluble  in  chloroform  and  ether,  and 
in  a  large  quantity  of  alcohol. 
Sulphate  of  Sanguinarina  is  a  granular  powder,  of  a  bright 
vermillion-red  color,  without  odor,  but  having  an  extremely  acri- 
monious taste.  The  acrimony  is  particularly  manifested  in  the 
throat.  It  is  freely  soluble  in  water,  soluble  in  glycerin,  and  in 
a  large  quantity  of  alcohol  and  syrup ;  but  nearly  insoluble  in 
chloroform  and  ether.  Ammonia  precipitates  it  from  a  watery  solu- 
tion.   The  precipitate  is  not  redissolved  by  an  excess  of  ammonia. 
Acetate  of  Sanguinarina  is  in  dark  brownish-red  scales.  It 
has  no  odor.  The  taste  is  less  acrimonious  and  more  slowly 
developed  than  with  the  sulphate.  It  is  slightly  soluble  in  water, 
ether,  and  alcohol,  but  freely  soluble  in  chloroform. 
Therapeutical  experiments  with  Sanguinarina  {the  pure 
alkaloid.) 
I.  Being  in  good  health  and  engaged  in  my  usual  avocation,  I 
