Cuap. IX.] ALKALOID POISONS. 167 
tion, In 3 hrs. 30 m. some of the tentacles were a little inflected ; 
as was the blade of one, after 4 hrs. After 7 hrs. the glands were 
wonderfully blackened, showing that matter of some kind had been 
absorbed. In 9 hrs. two of the leaves had most of their tentacles sub- 
inflected, but the inflection did not increase in the course of 24 hrs. One 
of these leaves, after being immersed for 9 hrs. in the solution, was 
placed in water, and by next morning had largely re-expanded; the 
other two, after their immersion for 24 hrs., were likewise placed in 
water, and in 24 hrs. were considerably re-expanded, though their 
glands were as black as ever. Half-minims were placed on the discs of 
six leaves, and no inflection ensued; but after three days the glands on 
the discs appeared rather dry, yet to my surprise were not blackened. 
On another occasion drops were placed on the discs of six leaves, and a 
considerable amount of inflection was soon caused; but as I had not 
filtered the solution, floating particles may have acted on the glands, 
After 24 hrs. bits of meat were placed on the discs of three of these 
leaves, and next day they became strongly inflected. As I at first 
thought that the poison might not have been dissolved in pure water, 
one grain was added to 437 grains of a mixture of one part of alcohol to 
seven of water, and half-minims were placed on the discs of six leaves, 
These were not at all affected, and when after a day bits of meat 
were given them, they were slightly inflected in 5 hrs., and closely 
after 24 hrs. It follows from these several facts that a solution of 
curare induces a very moderate degree of inflection, and this may 
perhaps be due to the presence of a minute quantity of albumen. It 
certainly is not poisonous. The protoplasm in one of the leaves, which 
had been immersed for 24 hrs., and which had become slightly in- 
flected, had undergone a very slight amount of aggregation—not more 
than often ensues from an immersion of this length of time in water. 
Acetate of Morphia.—I tried a great number of experiments with 
this substance, but with no certain result. A considerable number of 
leaves were immersed from between 2 hrs. and 6 hrs. in a solution of 
one part to 218 of water, and did not become inflected. Nor were 
they poisoned; for when they were washed and placed in weak 
solutions of phosphate and carbonate of ammonia, they soon became 
strongly inflected, with the protoplasm in the cells well aggregated. 
If, however, whilst the leaves were immersed in the morphia, phos- 
phate of ammonia was added, inflection did not rapidly ensue. 
Minute drops of the solution were applied in the usual manner to the 
secretion round between thirty and forty glands; and when, after an 
interval of 6 m., bits of meat, a little saliva, or particles of glass, were 
placed on them, the movement of the tentacles was greatly retarded, 
But on other occasions no such retardation occurred. Drops of water 
similarly applied never have any retarding power. Minute drops of a 
solution of sugar of the same strength (one part to 218 of water) 
sometimes retarded the subsequent action of meat and of particles of 
glass, and sometimes did not do so. At one time I felt convinced 
that morphia acted as a narcotic on Drosera, but after having found in 
