Medicinesir Uses and Mode of Administration; Including a Complete Conspectus of the British Pharmacopoeiasn Account of All the New Remedies (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1864 edition. Excerpt: ...and an aromatic, very bitter taste, which are altogether due to this powder, which has been termed Lupulin, Lupuline, and Lupulite; if it be carefully removed, the scales have no longer either odour or taste. CHEMICAL PROPERTIES.--The medical efficacy of hops is due to the lupulin; it constitutes about a sixth part of good hops, and may be readily obtained in a separate state by rubbing and sifting, as formerly directed by the Dublin College. The scales are composed of astringent matter, inert colouring matter, chlorophylle, gum, lignin, and salts of potash and lime, with some adhering lupulin (Payen and Chevallier). Lupulin is in the form of a coarse greenish-yellow powder, of a cellular texture; it consists of 2 per cent, of volatile oil, 10'3 of bitter principle (lupulite), 50 to 55 of resin, 32 of lignin, &c. According to the recent chemical investigations of M. Personne, it appears that the volatile oil of Lupulin is homologous with oil of valerian, from which he argues an analogy between the therapeutical action of valerian and of hops. Hops and lupulin yield their active properties to both water and alcohol. THERAPEUTICAL EFFECTS.--Much difference of opinion exists as to the therapeutical properties of hops; they are generally stated to be narcotic, but from the experiments made with them on animals, by Magendie and others, it would appear that this effect is not manifested when they are given internally, no matter how large the dose. Nevertheless, the inhalation of the aroma of hops acts deci dedly narcotic, frequently producing sleep in the restlessness and watchfulness of mania and other nervous affections, when opium and other narcotics have completely failed: to produce this effect a pillow stuffed with hops is generally employed....