Translation of the Pharmacopoeia of the Royal College of Physicians, of London, 1851 : with notes and illustrations / by Richard Phillips.

  • Royal College of Physicians of London. Pharmacopoeia Londinensis. English
Date:
1851
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Translation of the Pharmacopoeia of the Royal College of Physicians, of London, 1851 : with notes and illustrations / by Richard Phillips. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

    68/596 page 46
    woody fibre. The dried cormus is often worthless from bad drying or gathering at improper seasons. When good the slices are firm, and notched only on one side. It is poisonous. The active prin- ciple of meadow saffron appears to reside in a vegetable alkali, to which Hesse and Geiger, who have examined its properties, have given the name of Colchicia. Colchicia is prepared by digesting the seed of meadow saffron in boiling alcohol, which dissolves an acid salt; this is to be preci- pitated by magnesia, and what is thrown down again treated with boiling alcohol, which by evaporation deposits colchicia. In this process the magnesia combines with the acid previously united with the colchicia, which is precipitated with the excess of mag- nesia and dissolved in an uncombined state by the second portion of alcohol. Colchicia crystallizes in slender needles ; it is in- odorous, its taste is first bitter and afterwards biting, but not so acrid as veratria, from which it also differs in not exciting sneezing, and in being soluble in water. Hydrate of colchicia is feebly alkaline to tests, it completely neutralizes acids and forms crystallizable salts with them, which veratria does not. Its salts have a bitter taste. The aqueous solution of this alkali precipitates a solution of chloride of platinum. Nitric acid turns it deep violet, blue, and afterwards quickly green and yellow. It has not been analysed. Incompatibles.—Alkalis, their carbonates, the alkaline earths and their carbonates, or any substances on which vinegar is ca- pable of exerting any action. Medicinal Use.—Diuretic. Dose, f3$s to f 3ij in any bland fluid. It is employed in gout and rheumatism. ACETUM SCILL^S. Vinegar of Squill. Acetum Scilliticum, P.L. 1721, P.L. 1746. Acetum Scilla, P.L. 1788, P.L. 1809, P.L. 1824, P.L. 1836. Take of Squill, recently dried and bruised, two ounces and a half, Diluted Acetic Acid a pint, Proof Spirit a fluidounce and a half; Macerate the Squill with the Acid with a gentle heat in a closed vessel, for three days; then press out [the liquor] and set it by, that the dregs may subside; lastly, add the Spirit to the strained liquor.
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3