This drug possesses pronounced and characteristic physiological properties. It contains, as its essential constituent, proto-veratrin; there are also present jervin, rubijervin, and an acrid resin.

Veratrum album affects muscular tissue, shortening its contractions, increasing its height, and causes the occurrence of early fatigue. These phenomena relate especially to voluntary muscle. The action of the drug upon smooth muscle is shown by the following experiment. "Upon adding four drops of a non-alcoholic homeopathic tincture of Veratrum album to 60 c.c. of Locke's solution surrounding a normally contracting segment of small intestine from a rabbit, there occurred at once a great tonic contraction. The tonicity remained for some time, but gradually decreased. The height of the contraction after the addition of the drug was less by one-half to one-third. The rate remained the same."

Veratrum album is a very poisonous substance and has disappeared, to a great extent, from therapeutic employment except in homeopathic practice. Because of its stimulating action upon muscular tissue, violent diarrheic symptoms result from its employment in physiological doses. The stools are profuse, watery, and are preceded by colicky pains in the abdomen. In the absence of any history it would be impossible to distinguish between Veratrum album poisoning and a severe case of cholera morbus.

The local application of Veratrum album results in irritation. If protoveratrin be applied there results anesthesia without the preceding irritation.

The action of Veratrum album upon the circulation is very similar, to that of acon-itin. The heart is slowed, owing to stimulation of the vagus center, and the blood pressure reduced.

The general physiological action of the drug, as evidenced in severe yet not necessarily fatal cases of poisoning, is manifested by coldness, prostration, collapse, violent vomiting and purging, colic, cramps, and profuse perspiration. The symptom complex of surgical shock is closely, if not identically, imitated by the action of Veratrum album.

Therapeutics

Veratrum album is a remedy which should always come to mind in sudden shock or collapse, when this assumes an almost cholera-like appearance. The patient needing this remedy is struck suddenly and violently by great prostration, the face becomes pallid, hippocratic; cold sweat stands out prominently, particularly in large beads upon the forehead. The body surface is cold and blue, yet internally burning heat may be complained of. Profuse diarrhea takes place, with copious, watery, odorless stools, preceded by abdominal pain and followed by great prostration, even to the point of actual syncope. Simultaneously, vomiting of food and of watery fluid takes place.

In cholera infantum, Veratrum album will frequently be needed and here the stools will be watery, rice-water-like or greenish in color. Cholera morbus will frequently need this medicine.

On the other hand, in some cases of atonic constipation, where the feces accumulate in large amount and require severe straining for their evacuation, during which the patient breaks out in cold sweat, this remedy will be of service. Faintness often follows such difficult stool. The stools are large, hard and black.

Characteristic Symptoms Of Veratrum Album

1. Cholera and choleraic conditions; characterized by colic, cramps, cramps in calves, cold sweat on forehead, profuse watery, flaky stools, violent retching and vomiting, and great prostration.

2. Coldness on vertex as though ice were lying there.

3. Face cold, pale and sunken, nose pointed.

4. Cutting, griping, twisting colic; cold sweat on forehead.