Chemical examination of the roots of Phaseolus multiflorus / by Frederick B. Power and Arthur H. Salway.

  • Power, Frederick B. (Frederick Belding), 1853-1927.
Date:
[1913]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Chemical examination of the roots of Phaseolus multiflorus / by Frederick B. Power and Arthur H. Salway. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    CHEMICAL EXAMINATION OF THE ROOTS OF PHASEOLUS MULTIFLORUS.* BY FREDERICK B. POWER and ARTHUR H. SALWAY. In the small, but very comprehensive and useful work, entitled:—‘The Treasury of Botany,’ edited by Lindley and Moore, a description is given of the “ Scarlet Runner Bean ” (Phasenlus multiflorus, Lam.), and in connection therewith (Edit. 1899, Part II , p. 874) there occurs the following state- ment :—“ It is worthy of notice that the roots are narcotic and poisonous.” It has been impossible for the present authors to ascertain when or by whom the observation was made respecting the toxic properties of these roots, as no other reference to the subject could he found in the available literature. The roots of the cultivated and mature plants are slender or fibrous,1 presenting no suggestion of their being edible, and they could hardly be regarded as an attractive or digestible food for cattle. Inasmuch as the scarlet runner bean is much esteemed and so largely used as a culinary vegetable, it seemed of interest to ascertain whether the properties attributed to the roots could be confirmed by their chemical examination and physiological Experimental. The material used for this investigation was obtained from plants cultivated at Dartford, Kent, and was collected in the early autumn It consisted of the roots, with a small portion of the aerial stem attached, and represented the variety of the plant hearing scarlet flowers, which is designated by some hotamsts as Phaseolus multiflorus, Lam., var. B-coccineus TWParR Lu®rs?e,n’ ‘Mef Pharm. Botanik,’ Bd. II., p. 880). weight h matena ’ °n dryingl lost about throe-fourths of its Abortion (10 grammes) of the ground, air-dried roots was Lonao^*Btc!°^0Hiel<^^^^euticaief?'1^,?i0af ^es0al'°h Laboratories, 1913, and reprinted from^ p;™ Society of Great Britain, April 8, April 19, 1913. Pharmaceutical Journal and Pharmacist, A’ P-873, it is noted Mexico, has a thick, tuberous rnntitZb ’ „„ f Soal1?* Runner, n native of scarlet or white flowers mi moronsnn\'h 3 ,ann ',la■’ twining stems, showy the same work (n 874) it S ’ 011 the peduncles, and rough pods.” In P. multiflorus, t usualw conLered io h'’U R,,ner B0al>, treated as such, although iS realttv ‘it hf “ ,nlfjhardy annual, and is tuberous roots which may be taken‘n.-. L 5 tender perenm U, having planting in spring. It ilBnative of 5S,ft,naA l>re?erv6d during winter for been introduced in 1633.” atlVe °f SoiUl America, and is stated to have