Volume 2

A general system of toxicology : or, a treatise on poisons, found in the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms, considered in their relations with physiology, pathology, and medical jurisprudence / by M.P. [sic] Orfila.

  • Orfila, Matthieu Joseph Bonaventure, 1787-1853.
Date:
1816-17
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A general system of toxicology : or, a treatise on poisons, found in the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms, considered in their relations with physiology, pathology, and medical jurisprudence / by M.P. [sic] Orfila. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

    293/604 (page 279)
    OF THE ANGVSTURA PSEVDO-FERRU- GINMA. 936. There is found abundantly in commerce, a particular Ibark, which the druggists designate by the name of fine \Angustura, and which differs essentially from it. We are of copinion that it is so much the more important to make known iits characters, as it ought to be ranked amongst the most eenergetic poisons in the vegetable kingdom ; whilst the real An- ustura might be taken in a strong dose without inconvenience^ .'M. Planche, a distinguished apothecary and chymist of this ccapital, who has written a very excellent work on the natural Ihistory of these barks, has presented to M. M. Pessieu and :Bonpland, the species which we are here treating of, and they thave declared that they know not to what vegetable it could I belong.* The learned traveller M. de Humboldt, who has been so ]good as to communicate to me several particulars relating to tthe poisons of America, has told me that he did not believe 1 that the bark of the Angiistura Pseudo-FerrugincBa belonged Ito a tree of the same species as the real Angustura, which he lhas called PompJandia Trifoliata. Characters of the bark. The barks of this species are in I general rolled up, of a yellowish grey colour on the inside. J Some of them have the epidermis scattered over with whitish «excrescences; others are covered with a matter w hich has the I appearance of rust of iron, and which possesses certain pro- I perties of it; other barks are more or less polished, some- t times very rugged, and scattered over with spots of various ( colours ; these latter are, in general, more thick, and more I bulky than the others; and although they differ in appearance, t fhey possess the same chemical properties ; they are only * Notice Chimique sur les Angustures du Commerce, read before tlnj I Society of Medicine of Paris, the and June, 1807, by L. A. Planche.