cated with degeneration of the kidneys or inflammation of the bladder. Digitalis is much prescribed in combination with squill in the treatment of cardiac dropsies, and calomel is often added with a view to its action on the absorbents. As a blennorrhetic expectorant, squill is an excellent remedy in chronic and subacute bronchial affections; it is, however, improper in the early stages of inflammatory cases. As an emetic, squill is too dangerous for general use; but it forms an ingredient in some emetic preparations administered in croup. Administration.-Dose, as a diuretic or expectorant, gr. j, repeated and gradually increased till nausea supervenes. Gr. vj-xij will vomit. Of the vinegar (acetum scillæ, containing 10 per cent. by weight of the powder), the dose is "gxv to fɔ̃ij; of the fluid extract, mj; of the syrup, f5j; of the compound syrup, known as hive syrup (which contains a solution of senega and squill in diluted alcohol and water, and tartar emetic, gr. j in every ounce of the syrup), mv-f3j, according to the age; of the tincture, mv-xxx. COLCHICUM. Colchici Radix, Colchicum Root; Colchici Semen, Colchicum Seed. Colchicum autumnale, or Meadow-Saffron (Nat. Ord. Melanthaceae), is a small biennial, bulbous plant, which grows wild, in moist meadows, in England and other temperate parts of Europe. The bulb, or corm, appears in midsummer as the lateral offset from the corm of the preceding year, and sends up the flowerstem in the autumn-the leaves and fruit following in the succeeding spring. The leaves are broadly lanceolate, about five inches long; the flowers, of a lilac or light-purple color; and the fruit, oblong, elliptical and three-celled. The CORM and SEED are the portions used medicinally. The corms are gathered in July, just before the sprouting of the flower from the young corm. They are somewhat like tulipbulbs in appearance, but solid, and not composed of scales. They are covered by an external brown membrane and an inner reddish-yellow one, and are an inch and a half to two and a half inches in length, with a longitudinal groove. Internally they are white, fleshy and solid, and contain an acrid, bitter, milky juice. As found in the shops they are in the dried state, sometimes whole, but usually cut into transverse slices, about an eighth of an inch thick, with a notch on one side, and deprived of the outer brown membrane.. They have a hircine odor and a bitter, hot and acrid taste. The seed are brown, about the size of black-mustard seed, inodorous, and have a bitter, acrid taste; they are less apt to be injured by drying than the corm. Colchicum corm and seed yield their virtues to vinegar and alcohol; they both contain an alkaloid, soluble in water, readily so in alcohol, but insoluble in ether, termed colchicine (CHNO, Laborde et Houdé), on which the medicinal activity depends. Colchiceine (C6H2NO14) is a crystalline substance, of feeble acid reaction, which does not preëxist in the plant, but is formed by the action of the mineral acids upon colchicine. Colchicine makes with concentrated nitric acid a play of colors, beginning with yellow, then green, afterward crimson, and finally violet; with concentrated sulphuric acid, to which has been added a fragment of potassium nitrate, it produces an intensely yellow color terminating in light violet. Physiological Effects.-Colchicum is a local irritant. Colchicine is undoubtedly the active ingredient of meadow-saffron (Huseman*), and when introduced by the stomach diffuses into the *"Die Pflanzenstoffe," 1871, p. 497. blood, since it has been found in the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and blood by Aschoff.* Other observers, however (Laborde et Houdét) failed to detect it there or in the heart, even after intravenous injection, but found the largest quantity inside the stomach and intestines. It seems to expend its force on the alimentary tract, though not entirely by a local action, for both Lewins and Roys found these parts to be much inflamed after the subcutaneous administration of the drug. Taken internally, in small doses, it stimulates the secretions generally; in larger doses it produces nausea, vomiting,|| and repeated purging, and primarily acceleration, followed by a reduction in the frequency of the pulse; in excessive doses it is an intestinal irritant poison, inducing emesis, uncontrollable diarrhoea, collapse, and finally producing death by paralysis of respiration, the heart beating for a short time after the cessation of this act, the cerebral functions usually remaining unaffected, though Toulmouche (loc. cit.) states that there is decided cerebral excitement. According to the recent investigations of Laborde et Houdé (loc. cit.) colchicine is without action on the centres of intelligence or volition, and there is an entire absence of paralysis, either motor or sensory, of central origin. The temperature falls during the period of emetocatharsis; and when injected into dogs there is a marked fall in the blood pressure. The amount of urea and uric acid excreted in the urine is much increased after the administration of colchicum. Lewins (loc. cit.) found the urea to be almost doubled. Hammond¶¶ experimentally ascertained that it heightened the urinary flow and the proportion of solids, but as his results were based on only three analyses they can scarcely be accepted as conclusive. It increases the secretion of bile, which at the same time is rendered very watery. Fatal Quantity.-Dr. Major** reports 17 cases of poisoning by the wine of colchicum seeds, seven of which were fatal, the #" Die Pflanzenstoffe," 1871, p. 499, quoted. + Pamphlet, 1887. "Le Colchique et la Colchicine." Arch. Gén. de Médecine, t. XVIII, p. 37, par. A. Toulmouche. ་ Amer. Journ. Med. Sci., 1859, p. 275. ** Canada Med. and Surg. Jour., 1874, p. 24. quantity ingested ranging from f3iij-viij; in two, there were convulsions. Dr. G. B. Wood* states that f5iiss of the wine of the root proved fatal, and in another instance fisst of the wine of the bulb killed a man. Vomiting and purging are the chief symptoms of colchicum poisoning, convulsions being infrequent, while the brain escapes till the approach of death. After death, in Roy's (loc. cit.) experiments upon dogs, the post-mortem appearances were those of enteritis. Tannic acid is a partial antidote (forms a white precipitate with colchicine); opiates, demulcents and stimulants are to be given. Although placed among the diuretics, colchicum does not evince a more decided action on the kidneys than on other secretions, as those of the skin, liver and mucous membranes. Medicinal Uses-Colchicum has long enjoyed a high reputation in the treatment of gout; and, although its modus medendi is obscure, it is universally admitted to possess a more decided control over the disease than any other remedy. It is usually administered in repeated doses till an effect is produced on the bowels, though purging does not promote its curative effect. Epsom salts and magnesia are often combined with it, as in the celebrated Scudamore's draught (magnesia, gr. xv-xx; magnesium sulphate, 3j-ij; wine of colchicum seed, fɔ̃j-ij, in any pleasant vehicle). An excellent combination in the treatment of gout is colchicum (wine of the seed, f3j), with potassium iodide (5ij), dissolved in cinnamon water (f3viij); dose, fɔ̃ss t. d. until purgation is produced. Quinine and digitalis are also often given advantageously, with colchicum, in gout. When it is desired to act on the kidneys and skin rather than the bowels, opiates are sometimes added. It is better to reserve colchicum for the treatment of the acute paroxysms of gout, giving a little opium (as in Dover's powder) at night, particularly to relieve the pain and procure sleep, enjoining perfect rest and quiet and using warm applications locally. In chronic gout and in lithæmia colchicum is not as useful, and these conditions are better treated by a *U. S. Dispensatory," 15th ed., p. 1534. + Edinburgh Med. and Surg. Journ., XIV, p. 262. Lartigue's celebrated gout pills are: acetic extract of colchicum root, 2 grains; extract of digitalis, I grain; compound extract of colocynth, 20 grains, to be mixed and divided into five pills-one to be taken at night. properly regulated diet, avoidance of stimulants, exercise in the open air and the administration of the alkalies, particularly of the lithium salts. In rheumatism it is also employed, but it has little control over this disease. Dr. Woodbury, however, has recently reported cases where hypodermic injections of my of a solution of colchicine ( per cent.) gave speedy and permanent relief in acute rheumatism, after the salicylates had failed. It has been occasionally resorted to as a diuretic in dropsy, as a sedative in febrile and inflammatory diseases, as an anthelmintic and as an expectorant. Administration.-Dose of the corm or seed, in powder, gr. ijviij; the seeds are to be preferred. The liquid preparations, which are more generally used than the powder, are: the wine of the root (vinum colchici radicis), mx-xxx; wine of the seed (vinum colchici seminis), dose, fɔ̃ss-j; tincture (of the seed), dose, fɔ̃ss-j. An extract of the root (acetic) is also employed-dose, gr. j−ij; and a fluid extract of the seed and also of the root-doses, gtt. iv-xij. The alkaloid colchicine (not officinal) has been recommended as the best form of administration in doses of gr. in pill, or somewhat less by hypodermic injection. OLEUM ERIGERONTIS-OIL OF ERIGERON. The oil distilled from the fresh flowering herb of Erigeron canadense, or Canada Fleabane (Nat. Ord. Compositæ), an herbaceous indigenous plant, two or three feet high, with ovate or lanceolate toothed leaves, and white, blue or purple flowers. The oil by distillation yields resin and turpene (C10H18-Powert). It possesses diuretic and hemostatic properties, and has been used in hemorrhagic dysentery and uterine hemorrhage. It has also been used in gonorrhoea with success, Stark stating that in the majority of cases it stopped the discharge in from two to six. days. Prettyman § reports unvarying success with it in 50 cases, affirming that it cures in from six to eight days, but as he omits the details of treatment, his statement cannot be accepted as proven. Dose, gtt. v-xx, on sugar, or in capsule. *Phila. Med. Times, Dec. 2d, 1882. "Pharm. Rundschau," Sept., 1887, p. 201. |