208 
VERATRUM  VIRIDE. 
The  physical  properties  of  this  precipitate  were  as  follows :  It 
was  white,  uncrystallizable  and  inodorous,  but  a  small  portion 
coming  in  contact  with  the  lining  membrane  of  the  nostril,  pro- 
duced at  first  a  numbness  succeeded  by  the  most  violent  sneezing, 
which  continued  for  about  ten  minutes,  and  left  a  tingfing  sensa- 
tion which  lasted  for  a  considerable  time.  When  heated  it  be- 
came discolored,  swelled  up  and  was  consumed  below  a  red  heat; 
it  was  nearly  insoluble  in  water,  quite  soluble  in  alcohol  and 
partially  so  in  ether.  It  dissolved  readily  in  sulphuric,  nitric  and 
chlorohydric  acids,  and  formed  colorless  solutions.  Through  the 
kindness  of  a  medical  friend,  I  am  enabled  to  state  that  this  sub- 
stance, administered  in  a  dose  of  one-tenth  of  a  grain  three  times 
a  day,  afforded  very  marked  relief  in  a  case  of  facial  neuralgia, 
without  producing  any  unpleasant  symptoms. 
We  now  come  to  the  consideration  of  its  chemical  properties, 
and  here  the  field  is  almost  unoccupied  :  for  some  unknown  rea- 
son the  reactions  of  the  alkaloid  veratria  appear  to  have  been 
but  little  studied,  and  while  for  many  of  the  vegetable  princi- 
ples there  are  several  distinctive  tests,  for  this  we  have  but  one, 
(the  red  color  produced  by  sulphuric  acid,)  which  is  characteris- 
tic. Under  these  circumstances  it  became  necessary,  first,  to 
draw  a  line  before  describing  a  parallel,  or  in  other  words  to  ex- 
amine veratria  itself  in  order  to  prove  that  this  was  identical. 
The  tests  applied  (with  the  exception  of  the  two  last),  were 
those  usually  employed  in  the  detection  of  the  other  alkaloids, 
and  were  as  follows : — 
On  Veratria. 
Tannin  in  a  dilute  solution,  a 
white  precipitate. 
Ammonia  in  a  dilute  solution,  a 
white  precipitate. 
Sulphuric  acid,  a  ruby  or  crim- 
son* red  color. 
Nitric  acid,  a  clear  yellow  color. 
Chlorine  water  on  a  muriate,  no 
precipitate  or  coloration. 
On  the  alkaloid  of  Veratrum  viridc* 
Tannin  in  a  dilute  solution,  a, 
white  precipitate. 
Ammonia  in  a  dilute  solution,  a 
white  precipitate. 
Sulphuric  acid,  a  ruby  red  color. 
Nitric  acid,  a  clear  yellow  color. 
Chlorine  water  on  a  muriate,  no 
precipitate  or  coloration. 
*  This  color  was  of  rather  a  brighter  shade  than  that  produced  in  the 
other,  which  difference  was  probably  owing  to  a  minute  amount  of  coloring 
matter  retained  by  the  latter. 
