  All parts of the plant Digitalis purpurea (purple foxglove) are poisonous. Contains the glucoside digitalin and other active principles. Symptoms.—Nausea, vomiting, purging, and abdominal pains. Vomited matter grass-green in colour. Headache, giddiness, and loss of sight; pupils dilated, insensitive; pulse weak, remarkably slow and irregular; cold sweat. Salivation occasionally, or syncope and stupor. Death sometimes quite suddenly. Post-Mortem Appearances.—Congested condition of brain and membranes; inflammation of gastric mucous membrane. Treatment.—Emetics freely; infusions containing tannin, as coffee, tea, oak-bark, galls, etc. Stimulants. Hypodermic injection of 1/120 grain of aconitine. Method of Extraction from the Stomach, etc.—Use Stas-Otto process. Tests for Digitalin.—A white substance, sparingly soluble in water, not changed by nitric acid; turns yellow, changing to green, with hydrochloric acid. The minutest trace of digitalin moistened with sulphuric and treated with bromine vapour gives a rose colour, turning to mauve. This is very delicate, but in experienced hands the physiological test is more reliable. The chemist who has had no practical experience in |
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