246 
An  Adulteration  of  Aconite  Root. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\      May,  1877. 
number  of  angles  being  larger  as  the  section  approaches  the  top  of  the 
root.  If  the  root  be  wetted  and  examined  with  a  lens,  the  line  is  seen 
to  consist  of  an  irregular  line  of  vessels,  which  form  small  bundles  in 
the  apex  of  the  projecting  angles.  The  cortical  portion  occupies 
nearly  half  of  the  circumference  of  the  root. 
From  the  above  characters  it  will  be  observed  that  the  presence  of 
oil  receptacles  in  the  masterwort  root  at  once  distinguishes  it  from 
aconite.  A  spirituous  tincture  of  masterwort,  when  dropped  into 
water,  gives  a  blue  fluorescence,  resembling  that  of  quinia,  and  a  slight 
milkiness,  and  communi- 
cates to  the  water  its  pecu- 
liar odor.  By  these  char- 
acters its  presence  might 
probably  be  detected  in  a 
mixture  containing  tinc- 
ture of  aconite. 
Although  the  small  per- 
centage in  the  sample  ex- 
amined would  lead  to  but 
very  slight  diminution  of 
strength  in  the  tincture  of 
aconite  made  from  it,  yet 
the  appearance  and  odor 
communicated  to  a  mix- 
ture containing  such  a  tinc- 
ture might  lead  to  much 
inconvenience  in  pharma- 
Aconitum  Napellusi  Lin. 
and  throw  discredit 
upon  the  dispensing  department. 
It  is  quite  time  that  the  attention  of  cultivators  of  medicinal  plants 
in  this  country  should  be  drawn  to  the  bad  quality  of  the  imported 
root,  and  that  attempts  should  be  made  to  cultivate  it  extensively  in 
this  country.  It  is  very  probable  that,  as  in  the  case  of  henbane,  a 
good  article  would  command  a  fairly  remunerative  price.  It  is  obvious, 
also,  that  until  it  is  possible  to  obtain  a  plentiful  supply  of  the  roots  of 
Aconitum  Napellus,  free  from  any  admixture  of  other  species,  it  will  not 
be  possible  to  obtain  an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  alkaloids  contained 
in  that  species. — Phar.  Jour,  and  Trans.,  March  17,  1877. 
