Digitalin. C5H802

Light, white needle crystals, in clusters; very bitter. The active crystallizable glucoside, very sparingly soluble in water, stimulates the cardiac muscles. Dose, 1/50 grain in pill. Also in an amorphous yellowish powder, which the French Codex of 1884 orders, unless the crystalline is prescribed. Digitin is another of the glucosides of Digitalis. It contracts the kidneys, with increased secretion of urine.

Phynin; from the glandular secretion and dried skin of the toad (Bufo viridis and B. cinereus), is similar in its effects to digitalin.

Diospyros Virginiana

Persimmon. North America. N. 0. Ebenacece.

A large tree. The unripe fruit is strongly astringent, containing tannic acid and pectin: ripe, and dried with sugar, it is used by the Chinese as a dessert fruit. Dose of fluid extract, 1 to 2 drachms.

Dita Bark and Ditamine

(See Alstonia Scholaris.)

Diuretin

Sodio-theobromine Salicylate.

This new compound contains theobromine and salicylate of sodium. It is a whitish powder of a sweetish, saline, alkaline taste, soluble in half its weight of water. It must be carefully kept from the air. It should contain 44.5 per cent. of theobromine.

A diuretic, like caffeine, but acts only on kidneys. Dr. Gram, of Copenhagen. Dose 15 grains several times a day. - Pharm. Journ., 28-12-89.

Dorstenia Contrayerva

N. 0. Moraceee. By some N. 0. Urticacece.

Root, hard and solid. Warm aromatic in fevers. Dose of powdered root or fluid extract, 1/2 drachm. Botanically curious, as having on an irregular quadrangular fleshy receptacle, male and female flowers.

Doundake

African Peach root. Quinquina Africani. Sarcocephalus esculentus. W. Africa. N. 0. Rubiacece.

A shrub, with edible fruit. The bark, principally from Sierre Leone, is greyish, with fissures in the suber; striated and yellowish internally.

Characteristics. The corky layer is astringent; the yellow parenchyma very bitter, from an alkaloid crystalline substance named Doundakine and two colourless resinoids. These are soluble in diluted spirit, such as wine. It also contains a yellow colouring matter.

Therapeutics. Its astringent and tonic febrifuge effects resemble those of Cinchona bark, and may be given in similar doses.