- Liquid volatile alkaloids, alkaloids of hemlock, nicotine, piturie, sparteine, aniline.
- The opium group of alkaloids.
- The strychnine or tetanic group of alkaloids—strychnine, brucine, igasurine.
- The aconite group of alkaloids.
- The mydriatic group of alkaloids—atropine, hyoscyamine, solanin, cytisine.
- The alkaloids of the veratrines.
- Physostigmine.
- Pilocarpine.
- Taxine.
- Curarine.
- Colchicin.
- Muscarine and the active principles of certain fungi.
There would, perhaps, have been an advantage in arranging several of the individual members somewhat differently—e.g., a group might be made of poisons which, like pilocarpine and muscarine, are antagonistic to atropine; and another group suggests itself, the physiological action of which is the opposite of the strychnos class; solanin (although classed as a mydriatic, and put near to atropine) has much of the nature of a glucoside, and the same may be said of colchicin; so that, if the classification were made solely on chemical grounds, solanin would have followed colchicin, and thus have marked the transition from the alkaloids to the glucosides.
DIVISION II.—Glucosides.
- The digitalis group.
- Other poisonous glucosides acting on the heart.
- Saponin.
The glucosides, when fairly pure, are easily recognised; they are destitute of nitrogen, neutral in reaction, and split up into sugar and other compounds when submitted to the action of saponifying agents, such as boiling with dilute mineral acids.
DIVISION III.—Certain Poisonous Anhydrides of the Organic Acids.
- Santonin.
- Mezereon.
It is probable that this class will in a few years be extended, for several other organic anitrogenous poisons exist, which, when better known, will most likely prove to be anhydrides.
DIVISION IV.—Various Vegetable Poisonous Principles not admitting of Classification under the previous Three Divisions.
Ergot, picrotoxin, the poison of Illicium religiosum, cicutoxin, Æthusa cynapium, Œnanthe crocata, croton oil, savin oil, the toxalbumins of castor oil and Abrus.