Veratrine, Or Veratria, an organic base discovered in 1818 by Meissner in sabadilla seeds, veratrum sabadilla, and soon afterward by Pelletier and Caventou in white hellebore, veratrum album. It probably exists also in other ' species of veratrum. It is prepared by dissolving the alcoholic extract of the seeds in sulphuric acid. The solution is then treated with animal charcoal, and the veratrine, together with sabadilline, precipitated by an alkali. The precipitate is then again dissolved in dilute sulphuric acid, and nitric acid is added as long as it produces a black pitchy precipitate. To the filtrate dilute potash solution is added, again precipitating the veratrine, which is then washed and dried and dissolved in absolute alcohol. The alcoholic solution is then evaporated; the residue is boiled in water, the impure veratrine which remains is dissolved out by ether, and the ethereal solution on evaporation leaves the pure base veratrine. Delondre prepares veratrine by treating the crushed sabadilla seeds with very dilute hydrochloric acid in a displacement apparatus, precipitating the solution with slight excess of potash, and slightly heating the washed and dried precipitate with twice its weight of ether for four hours in a closed vessel provided with a safety tube.

The ethereal solution on evaporation leaves pure veratrine. - Veratrine is ordinarily a white or whitish green crystalline powder, but by slow evaporation of its alcoholic solution it may be obtained in long prisms with a rhombic base. It is inodorous, but a minute quantity inhaled by the nostrils produces violent sneezing and headache. It is very acrid and poisonous, producing vomiting and purging when taken internally. It has a peculiar influence on the nervous system. Dr. J. L. Van Praag, in extensive experiments on the lower animals, found that it lowered the circulation and respiration, diminished the irritability of many of the nerves, and produced muscular relaxation, and in larger doses vomiting and purging. The secretion of saliva was much increased, but the urine was little affected. In poisonous doses the depressing effects were preceded by an accelerated pulse and respiration, and tetanic muscular spasms, followed by a characteristic dancing movement. It is used in medicine, both externally and internally. The diseases in which it has been employed are chiefly gout, rheumatism, neuralgia, dropsy, and functional diseases of the heart. Prof. Vogt of Bern employs it in pneumonia, in doses of about 1/30 of a grain every two hours, gradually increased to ten times that quantity.

It has also been employed in various nervous affections, as whooping cough, epilepsy, hysteria, and disorders caused by spinal irritation. From 1/12 to 1/6 of a grain may be given in the form of a pill, repeated every three or four hours, till its effects are produced. The tartrate, sulphate, or acetate may be used. Veratrine is much more employed externally than by the stomach, and is applicable in this way to all the complaints already mentioned. It is used as a local application in chronic swellings and indurations of the joints, whether from rheumatism, scrofula, or sprains. It may be used dissolved in alcohol, or rubbed up with a little lard in the proportion of from 5 to 20 grains to the ounce.