98 
ON  VERATRUM  VIRIDE. 
purified  animal  charcoal,  and  again  precipitated  and  well  washed. 
When  dry  the  precipitate  weighed  thirteen  grains. 
The  principle  thus  obtained  is  sparingly  soluble  in  cold  alco- 
hol, the  alcoholic  solution  restores  the  color  of  reddened  litmus 
paper,  it  unites  with  acids  affording  neutral  solutions  which  are 
bitter  to  the  taste.  The  sulphate  is  freely  soluble.  With  re- 
agents it  gives  the  same  reactions  as  the  alkaloid  described  in 
my  previous  paper,  and  appears  to  be  identical  with  the  princi- 
ple insoluble  in  ether  therein  described. 
Physiological  Properties. — A  more  extended  experience  is  desi- 
rable to  attest  the  effects  of  this  alkaloid.  Several  trials  were 
made  by  administering  it  to  persons  in  health ;  the  result  of  the 
experiments  are  as  follows :  one-fortieth  part  of  a  grain  of  the 
alkaloid  dissolved  in  alcohol  was  administered  every  quarter  of 
an  hour,  until  one-eighth  of  a  grain  was  taken  ;  half  an  hour  after 
taking  the  last  portion  the  pulse  in  each  case  was  reduced  from 
eight  to  twelve  beats  in  the  minute.  No  nausea  or  other  effects 
were  experienced.  An  impression  was  produced  on  the  throat 
resembling  that  caused  by  pyrethrum,  and  the  benumbing  effects 
of  aconite  were  wanting. 
The  resin  retains  the  alkaloid  with  great  persistence ;  when  a 
concentrated  tincture  of  the  pure  resin  is  poured  into  acidulated 
water,  the  filtered  solution  affords  a  precipitate  on  addition  of 
ammonia  ;  this  precipitate  appears  to  be  resin  which  was  held 
in  solution  ;  it  does  not  re-dissolve  on  addition  of  acid.  When 
digested  with  acidulated  water  the  resin  does  not  dissolve,  and 
evidences  no  basic  properties  when  treated  with  very  dilute  acids. 
So  far  as  opportunity  has  presented  for  trying  the  medicinal 
effects  of  the  resin,  it  has  been  found,  in  doses  of  one-third  of  a 
grain  repeated  in  half  an  hour,  to  produce  quite  as  much  seda- 
tive effect  as  the  alkaloid. 
The  character  of  this  resin  affords  a  subject  for  farther  inves- 
tigation ;  its  insolubility  in  acid  solutions  and  want  of  basic  pro- 
perties tend  to  show  that  it  is  not  an  alkaloid  in  an  amorphous 
condition. 
As  a  Summary  of  this  Investigation  we  find, 
First.  That  Veratrum  viride  contains  two  alkaloids,  one  solu- 
ble in  ether  and  the  other  insoluble  in  that  menstruum.  Neither 
.of  these  principles  answer  in  their  chemical  reactions  to  veratria. 
