DIGITALIN, the commercial name for a compound substance extracted from the seeds of the common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), and containing digitoxin and the three glucosides, digitonin, digitalin and digi talein; and probably others. Some of these are deadly poisons, but of great medicinal value, while others are almost inactive or harmless. The earliest extract was.Homolle's *digitalin,* prepared from the leaves by the action of al cohol, acetic acid, lead oxide and ether. It is a white, bitter, partially crystalline body with out smell, soluble in alcohol, but not in water or ether, and has been used in medicine, under the name of digitalin or digitalis. It contains digitoxin and a glucoside, digitophyllin; the lat ter being, apparently, identical with the *crys talline digitalin* of Nativelle. But no digitalin proper, or digitonin is found in the leaves of the foxglove. Another digitalin was obtained
by Walt by treating that of Homolle with ether and water; it is a sort of *camphor," yellow, amorphous, soluble in water, and very power ful in its action, and has received the name *digitalein.° Another chemist, Nativelle, ob tained from the, leaves two crystalline bodies, known as digitalin and digitin, and an amor phous one called digitalein. It is to this last named• substance that the powerful physiological action of the drug is to be ascribed. Digitalin, prepared by various processes, and probably not chemically pure, is employed in medicine, being useful in stimulating the action of a weak heart, and effective also in removing drop sical fluid by its action on the kidneys; but it is apt to derange the stomach and bowels, cause loss of appetite, etc.