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DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW REMEDIES INTRODUCED INTO THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE, WITH THEIR THERAPEUTICAL EFFECTS.
190 recently for examination as candidates has progressively deteriorated, and is still growing worse. Bad materials cannot be wrought into perfect instruments ; and things are arriving at a pitch which threatens to bring about thorough disorganization as it already has induced profound and wide-spread discontent, in the Medical Department. The present Director-General, as the oflicial head of the Department, will be held in a great
to five grains-purges and produces nausea and vomiting; but in fourth of-a-grain doses it is alleged to manifest the same antiseptic, anti-pernicious or anti-malignant power as the decoction of the plant, and thus to be especially valuable combined with the cholagogues-podophyllin, leptandrin, irisin; or the anti-periodics-quinine or the barks; or the calmatives—actaea, henbane, conium, &c. Cannot some of our pharmaceutists present us with an extract of certain composition, and representing the properties of the baptisia tinctoria ? There is something like an inconsistency in representing the decoction as efficient, whilst the alleged active principle is quite insoluble. An extract derived from both a watery and an alcoholic solution would most probably be sufficiently activeto constitute a small pill a dose. one
responsible for this state of things. It is stated that when it was proposed to Mr. Alexander to rescind those regulations which gave to surgeons their higher relative rank and its corresponding advantages, he declared boldly that if it were carried out he must resign, for that the medical service would be thrown into a state of covert mutiny. By the tacit comCORYDALIS FORMOSA (TURKEY CORN: TURKEY PEA). pliance of the present Director-General these privileges are all Professor Bentley has recently published a full descriptive being gradually withdrawn, and the result foreseen by Mr. article on this plant. and not only collected the facts respectAlexander has almost arrived. It is impossible to converse ing it from American authors, but has added some experiments of his own-not therapeutical, however, nor, strictly speaking, now with any medical officer on the Army without hearing the same tale of profound discontent and disgust. There are chemical, but which may be designated pharmaceutical experiments. The part of the plant used remedially is the small few men who would not resign if they could, and very few intuber, about the size of a pea (hence its name Turkey pea). deed who do not strongly express their regret at having ever These tubers are now in’the market. It seems to be satisfacentered a service in which they are treated with so much bad torily established that they contain a definite alkaloid, to which the term corydalia is applied. Its discovery is claimed by faith and such cold ingratitude. several persons, by none of whom, however, has any analysis been made. Corydalia is crystalline, tasteless, inodorous, insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol, ether, and chloroform. Its salts are very soluble in water, and have a bitter taste. DESCRIPTIONS Nitric acid, even when dilute, colours this alkaloid (corydalia) OF of a blood-red. The peculiar properties claimed for the tuber of Corydalis formosa are, that it is tonic and diuretic, and a certain remedy for secondary syphilis and struma. In the former it is spoken INTRODUCED INTO THE PRACTICE OF of in terms suspiciously strong, as being more strikingly effiMEDICINE, cacious than any other remedy. And as this is regarded as WITH THEIR THERAPEUTICAL EFFECTS. evidence of its alterative power, it is used in many skin dis-
measure
NEW
REMEDIES
eases.
Professor Bentley has determined that water does not form a suitable menstruum, but that proof spirit is the best. He conBAPTISIA TINCTORIA (WILD INDIGO). sequently proposes a tincture as follows-Take Corydalis Tiiis is a small shrub, a native of the United States. The tubers, bruised, four ounces ; proof spirit, two pints : macerate for fourteen days, express, and filter ; or it may be prepared bark of the root (rhizome) and the leaves are the parts emby percolation. The dose is from twenty to sixty minims. Of ployed, and supplied by the herbalists. They are of a dark, course, as an alterativeor anti-syphilitic, it must be frequently almost black colour, every part of the plant containing a sub- repeated. CORYDALIN. stance analogous to, if not identical with, indigo. We leave Under this name there is now on sale by most pharmaceutists the description of the plant with the botanists, repeating a remark already made, that the American collectors may gene- a preparation alleged to be a concentrated representative of the virtues of the above plant. It is, in fact, one of the class we rally be trusted for selling the plants they profess to supply. have described in a former paper, as containing several constiThe root-bark and leaves yield their properties to both alcohol tuents not separated ; i is not, however, correct to say they and water, and consequently a decoction is the form in which are impure alkaloids. They often contain other principles of it is usually recommended. An ounce of the bark and leaves equal importance, either as adjuvants or correctives, and if is boiled in two pints of water to a pint. The dose is a table- only constancy of composition and equality of power be attainable, we. as practitioners. are not inclined to disapprove or reject spoonful or less. this corydalin is said to be auti-syphilitic in doses them. The primary action of a full dose is emetic or purgative, but of half Well, a grain to two grains three times a day, and equally in smaller doses is stimulant ; and its special property is anti- valuable in scrofula. The physicians who have extolled it give septic, producing, it is said, a striking change in the type of it in combination with the vegetable cholagogues, spoken of in fevers, relieving the symptoms designated pernicious or malig- former papers, to secure some action on the biliary organs and with the diuretics or with the stimulant tonics in nant in scarlatina, typhus, and other fevers, inflammations bowels; states of the system. It is fair to say that these proand ulcerations of the mouth and throat. It is applied exter- languid are also perties alleged to be found in other vegetable bodies, nally at the same time to foul ulcers and sloughing or gan- and that they combine them in their plan of treatment. Some grenous sores, and as an injection in fetid discharges from the! of these assumed anti-syphilitic and anti-strumous remedies we shall notice in a subsequent paper, concluding with the remark mucous passages; in short, in all cases where there is a tendency that, unless we had obtained conclusive evidence of great power to putrescence. and very peculiar properties in some of the articles noticed in We have no satisfactory chemical examination to throw any former papers, we could scarcely have hoped to gain any crelight on these pretensions, and must therefore look for experi- dence for the assertion of an anti-syphilitic vegetable remedy. mental evidence. But, besides the indigo, or pseudo-indigo, and a is a there not and tannin, isolated, peculiar acid, supposed No. XII.
principle-- namely,
BAPTISIN, which is believed to represent the properties of the bark and leaves. It is sold in powder of a yellowish-brown colour, bitter persistent taste ; insoluble in water, alcohol, ether, volatile oils, and even chloroform. Partially soluble in the caustic alkalies, it would seem to be an acid, probably in part tannin; but we are greatly in need of a thorough examination of this and the numerous other concentrated preparations of plants The dose of baptisin-from now coming into extensive use.
CHEMICAL PRODUCTS & PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS. WE propose to append to our notice of newly introduced or otherwise to apportion some space in our columns to an account of improved forms of old remedies and pharmaceutical preparations. Most practitioners will readily acknowledge the importance of finding the best form or compound for remedies. The very foundation of success in
remedies,
administering
to five grains-purges and produces nausea and vomiting; but in fourth of-a-grain doses it is alleged to manifest the same antiseptic, anti-pernicious or anti-malignant power as the decoction of the plant, and thus to be especially valuable combined with the cholagogues-podophyllin, leptandrin, irisin; or the anti-periodics-quinine or the barks; or the calmatives—actaea, henbane, conium, &c. Cannot some of our pharmaceutists present us with an extract of certain composition, and representing the properties of the baptisia tinctoria ? There is something like an inconsistency in representing the decoction as efficient, whilst the alleged active principle is quite insoluble. An extract derived from both a watery and an alcoholic solution would most probably be sufficiently activeto constitute a small pill a dose. one
responsible for this state of things. It is stated that when it was proposed to Mr. Alexander to rescind those regulations which gave to surgeons their higher relative rank and its corresponding advantages, he declared boldly that if it were carried out he must resign, for that the medical service would be thrown into a state of covert mutiny. By the tacit comCORYDALIS FORMOSA (TURKEY CORN: TURKEY PEA). pliance of the present Director-General these privileges are all Professor Bentley has recently published a full descriptive being gradually withdrawn, and the result foreseen by Mr. article on this plant. and not only collected the facts respectAlexander has almost arrived. It is impossible to converse ing it from American authors, but has added some experiments of his own-not therapeutical, however, nor, strictly speaking, now with any medical officer on the Army without hearing the same tale of profound discontent and disgust. There are chemical, but which may be designated pharmaceutical experiments. The part of the plant used remedially is the small few men who would not resign if they could, and very few intuber, about the size of a pea (hence its name Turkey pea). deed who do not strongly express their regret at having ever These tubers are now in’the market. It seems to be satisfacentered a service in which they are treated with so much bad torily established that they contain a definite alkaloid, to which the term corydalia is applied. Its discovery is claimed by faith and such cold ingratitude. several persons, by none of whom, however, has any analysis been made. Corydalia is crystalline, tasteless, inodorous, insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol, ether, and chloroform. Its salts are very soluble in water, and have a bitter taste. DESCRIPTIONS Nitric acid, even when dilute, colours this alkaloid (corydalia) OF of a blood-red. The peculiar properties claimed for the tuber of Corydalis formosa are, that it is tonic and diuretic, and a certain remedy for secondary syphilis and struma. In the former it is spoken INTRODUCED INTO THE PRACTICE OF of in terms suspiciously strong, as being more strikingly effiMEDICINE, cacious than any other remedy. And as this is regarded as WITH THEIR THERAPEUTICAL EFFECTS. evidence of its alterative power, it is used in many skin dis-
measure
NEW
REMEDIES
eases.
Professor Bentley has determined that water does not form a suitable menstruum, but that proof spirit is the best. He conBAPTISIA TINCTORIA (WILD INDIGO). sequently proposes a tincture as follows-Take Corydalis Tiiis is a small shrub, a native of the United States. The tubers, bruised, four ounces ; proof spirit, two pints : macerate for fourteen days, express, and filter ; or it may be prepared bark of the root (rhizome) and the leaves are the parts emby percolation. The dose is from twenty to sixty minims. Of ployed, and supplied by the herbalists. They are of a dark, course, as an alterativeor anti-syphilitic, it must be frequently almost black colour, every part of the plant containing a sub- repeated. CORYDALIN. stance analogous to, if not identical with, indigo. We leave Under this name there is now on sale by most pharmaceutists the description of the plant with the botanists, repeating a remark already made, that the American collectors may gene- a preparation alleged to be a concentrated representative of the virtues of the above plant. It is, in fact, one of the class we rally be trusted for selling the plants they profess to supply. have described in a former paper, as containing several constiThe root-bark and leaves yield their properties to both alcohol tuents not separated ; i is not, however, correct to say they and water, and consequently a decoction is the form in which are impure alkaloids. They often contain other principles of it is usually recommended. An ounce of the bark and leaves equal importance, either as adjuvants or correctives, and if is boiled in two pints of water to a pint. The dose is a table- only constancy of composition and equality of power be attainable, we. as practitioners. are not inclined to disapprove or reject spoonful or less. this corydalin is said to be auti-syphilitic in doses them. The primary action of a full dose is emetic or purgative, but of half Well, a grain to two grains three times a day, and equally in smaller doses is stimulant ; and its special property is anti- valuable in scrofula. The physicians who have extolled it give septic, producing, it is said, a striking change in the type of it in combination with the vegetable cholagogues, spoken of in fevers, relieving the symptoms designated pernicious or malig- former papers, to secure some action on the biliary organs and with the diuretics or with the stimulant tonics in nant in scarlatina, typhus, and other fevers, inflammations bowels; states of the system. It is fair to say that these proand ulcerations of the mouth and throat. It is applied exter- languid are also perties alleged to be found in other vegetable bodies, nally at the same time to foul ulcers and sloughing or gan- and that they combine them in their plan of treatment. Some grenous sores, and as an injection in fetid discharges from the! of these assumed anti-syphilitic and anti-strumous remedies we shall notice in a subsequent paper, concluding with the remark mucous passages; in short, in all cases where there is a tendency that, unless we had obtained conclusive evidence of great power to putrescence. and very peculiar properties in some of the articles noticed in We have no satisfactory chemical examination to throw any former papers, we could scarcely have hoped to gain any crelight on these pretensions, and must therefore look for experi- dence for the assertion of an anti-syphilitic vegetable remedy. mental evidence. But, besides the indigo, or pseudo-indigo, and a is a there not and tannin, isolated, peculiar acid, supposed No. XII.
principle-- namely,
BAPTISIN, which is believed to represent the properties of the bark and leaves. It is sold in powder of a yellowish-brown colour, bitter persistent taste ; insoluble in water, alcohol, ether, volatile oils, and even chloroform. Partially soluble in the caustic alkalies, it would seem to be an acid, probably in part tannin; but we are greatly in need of a thorough examination of this and the numerous other concentrated preparations of plants The dose of baptisin-from now coming into extensive use.
CHEMICAL PRODUCTS & PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS. WE propose to append to our notice of newly introduced or otherwise to apportion some space in our columns to an account of improved forms of old remedies and pharmaceutical preparations. Most practitioners will readily acknowledge the importance of finding the best form or compound for remedies. The very foundation of success in
remedies,
administering