2  Alkaloids  of  Veratrum  Viride  and  Album.  {Xm'^\^rm' 
In  1872,  Dr.  Peugnet  [Med.  Rec,  May,  1872,  p.  121)  also  concluded 
that  the  veratroida  of  Bullock  was  distinct  from  veratria,  as  it  did  not 
respond  to  the  sulphuric  acid  test  for  that  base,  although  it  did  to 
Trapp's  test  (hydrochloric  acid).  And  he  was  the  first  to  announce 
that  Bullock's  viridia  was  identical  with  Simon's  jervia  of  Veratrum 
album. 
So,  in  1874,  Mr.  C.  L.  Mitchell  (Proc.  Am.  Phar.  Asso.,  1874,  p. 
436,)  obtained  from  this  plant  a  base  readily  soluble  in  ether,  which 
failed  to  fully  respond  both  to  the  sulphuric  and  hydrochloric  acid  tests 
for  veratria,  and  he  therefore  concluded  that  it  was  a  distinct  principle. 
Mr.  Mitchell  confirmed  Dr.  Peugnet's  announcement  of  the  identity 
of  viridia  and  jervia. 
Much  the  same  confusion  has  existed  in  regard  to  the  principal  alkaloid 
of  Veratrum  album.  Thus,  in  18 19,  Pelletier  and  Caventou  announced 
that  the  alkaloid  of  the  plant  was  identical  with  veratria  from  sabadilla 
seeds  ;  whilst,  in  1872,  Dr.  Peugnet  claimed  that  the  alkaloid  was  not 
veratria,  but  identical  with  veratroidia  of  Veratrum  viride  ;  whilst  still 
later,  Mr.  C.  L.  Mitchell  claimed  that  it  differed  from  both  alkaloids, 
and  proposed  for  it  the  name  veratralbia. 
The  question  as  to  the  identity,  or  otherwise,  of  these  principles 
being  a  matter  of  considerable  importance,  especially  in  toxicological 
examinations,  we  have  given  the  subject  very  careful  study,  and,  as  the 
result  of  repeated  experiments,  we  find  that  both  veratrum  viride  and 
veratrum  album  contain  an  alkaloid,  which,  when  pure,  in  its  behavior  with 
the  mineral  acids  and  with  liquid  precipitants,  fully  responds  to  all  the 
reactions  of  veratria  or  veratrin. 
Thus  in  the  solid  state,  under  the  action  of  concentrated  sulphuric 
acid,  the  alkaloid  from  both  plants  assumes  a  yellow  color,  and  slowly 
dissolves  to  a  yellow  or  reddish-yellow  solution,  which  after  a  time 
becomes  orange  red  and  finally  deep  crimson  with  a  purplish  hue.  If 
the  mixture  be  gently  warmed,  the  crimson  coloration  manifests  itself 
at  once. 
If  the  alkaloid  is  impure,  at  least,  if  it  contains  an  apparently  oily 
matter  which  adheres  most  tenaciously,  it  will  strike  a  more  or  less  red 
color  with  sulphuric  acid  and  quickly  dissolve  to  a  reddish-yellow  solu- 
tion, which  after  a  time  acquires  a  more  or  less  brownish-red  color, 
but  fails  to  assume  the  crimson  coloration  of  the  pure  alkaloid.  The 
presence  of  pure  jervia  in  very  minute  quantity  does  not  appear  to 
materially  interfere  with  the  normal  reaction  of  the  alkaloid  with  this 
acid. 
