General therapeutics and materia medica (volume 1): adapted for a medical text book . f a truncated cone. It isrough ; rugous ; and of a grayish or blackish brown colour externally;internally, whitish ; and usually has portions of the root fibres detachedfrom it: at times, the fibres remain attached. These are of a yel-lowish colour, and of the size of a crows quill. The odour of the freshroot is disagreeable ; that of the dried feeble. The taste is at first bitter,and afterwards acrid. On analysis, wThite hellebore yields veratria, the properties of whichhave been just considered. Another sub
General therapeutics and materia medica (volume 1): adapted for a medical text book . f a truncated cone. It isrough ; rugous ; and of a grayish or blackish brown colour externally;internally, whitish ; and usually has portions of the root fibres detachedfrom it: at times, the fibres remain attached. These are of a yel-lowish colour, and of the size of a crows quill. The odour of the freshroot is disagreeable ; that of the dried feeble. The taste is at first bitter,and afterwards acrid. On analysis, wThite hellebore yields veratria, the properties of whichhave been just considered. Another substance has, likewise, beenannounced in it, termed Jervin,—from Jerva, the Spanish name for apoison obtained from the root of white hellebore, the properties of whichhave not been accurately investigated. It is a powerful acro-narcotic poison; and an active irritant; henceit is one of the most potent errhines. (See Vol. i. p. 264.) In medi-cinal doses, unless very cautiously administered, it is apt to induce ex-cessive irritation of the gastro-enteric mucous membrane. It is said,. VERATRUM VIRIDE. 195 indeed, to have produced these effects when the rhizoma has beenplaced in contact with the cutaneous surface; and especially when thecuticle has been removed. It appears to resemble greatly, in its effects,sabadilla and colchicum. In consequence of the occasional severity and uncertainty of its ope-ration, it is rarely given internally. Formerly, it was prescribed so asto induce its effects on the stomach and bowels in mania, melancholia,and other diseases of the nervous system, and, doubtless, at times actedbeneficially as a revellent; but it is now never prescribed. When greatefforts were made to discover the composition of the celebrated goutremedy—Eau medicinale cPHusson—it was announced by Mr. Moore,that white hellebore was the chief ingredient; but about the same timeMr. Want established, that a kindred plant—colchicum—was entitledto the credit. At that period, it w
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