27G 



HARDYVICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



oil-globules were at once visible. A similar experi- 

 ment to the last was next made, but with the addi- 

 tion of ether to the ground sporules in place of 

 water, the result being, as anticipated, that no oil- 

 globules were visible, being absorbed by the ether. 

 These experiments seem to prove conclusively that 

 as in the case of many seeds, the hard-cased sporules 

 of the Lycopodium are filled with a peculiar oil. If, 

 then, as surmised, it is to the action of this oil upon 

 the system that the medicinal virtues of Lycopo- 

 dium are to be ascribed, the apparent inconsistency 

 respecting it between the two systems of medicine 

 is at once explained— the nutty sporules as ad- 

 ministered in their unaltered form by the adherents 

 of the old school, probably passing through the 

 system without any assimilation having taken place ; 

 while, on the other hand, ( the Homoeopaths have by 

 trituration and subsequent attenuation extracted 

 the oil, and administered it in a form easily assimi- 

 lable with the tissues of the body. Having investi- 

 gated thus far the true physical nature of the 

 remedy, there remains to be determined the best 

 means of most thoroughly extracting this oily 

 matter, and the most suitable menstruum and form 

 for its preparation and administration. To this end 

 six months ago I prepared a series of mixtures 

 (which are on the table before you) of the following 

 fluids with a given quantity of the Lycopodium 

 sporules, viz., alcohol (absolute, rectiSed, 20 o.p., 

 and proof), distilled water, glycerine, and ether, 

 and heated each (the glycerine solution excepted) 

 to boiling-point for a few minutes. Upon then ex- 

 amining them under the microscope, no alteration in 

 the form of the sporules was perceptible in any of 

 the solutions, and now, after six months, 1 think you 

 will see, that with the single exception of the 

 ethereal preparation, in which a large proportion of 

 the sporules are swelled out and broken, none of 

 the solutions appear to have produced any visible 

 change in the appearance of the sporules." Mr. 

 Thompson here exhibited the different solutions, 

 showing a drop of each under the microscope (one- 

 fifth objective), confirming the above statement. 

 " As all of you are aware, the ' British Homoeopathic 

 Pharmacopoeia' recommends that Lycopodium 

 should be prepared in trituration; and, no doubt, 

 the good results accruing from Lycopodium (so fre- 

 quently administered in the higher attenuations) 

 are owing to the long-continued triturating process 

 of the hard sugar crystals upon the shells of the 

 sporules, fracturing many of tbem, the milk sugar 

 absorbing the contents. But I was not a little sur- 

 prised to find, on microscopically examining the 

 lower triturations, how few comparatively of the 

 sporules were broken, the greater number of them 

 having escaped fracture altogether, lying about 

 among the sugar crystals quite uninjured. The 

 1 x trituration was then exhibited in a drop of 

 water under the microscope, showing the entire 



sporules lying about amongst the sugar -of- milk 

 crystals. The first centesimal trituration did not 

 yield very much more satisfactory results ; for, upon 

 examining a little of it in a drop of water with the 

 one-fifth objective as before, the separate sporules 

 were still seen in many cases clustered together in 

 small masses, a large number not being at all injured. 

 In examining the second and third centesimal tritu- 

 rations, however, it was found that the triturating 

 process had thoroughly succeeded, for all the spo- 

 rules appeared to be completely broken, and numbers 

 of oil-globules were floating about in the water. 

 These experiments upon the triturations of Lyco- 

 podium were entirely confirmed by examining 

 samples of the same triturations procured from 

 other Homoeopathic chemists, all yielding precisely 

 similar results. Subsequently, I have been at some 

 pains to practically ascertain if it be possible to 

 prepare a proper 1 x trituration of Lycopodium. It 

 is not to be attained by making it according to the 

 allotted time in the Pharmacopoeia; but I find that 

 if a small quantity (not more than 500 grains) be 

 very well triturated for two hours, the 1 x trituration 

 so prepared will, on microscopic examination with 

 the one-fifth objective, show all the sporules to be 

 thoroughly crushed. The first centesimal and 

 higher triturations made up from this will be found 

 to be intimately mixed, and minute subdivision 

 completely accomplished. It thus becomes evident 

 that a very considerable amount of trituration is 

 essential in order to thoroughly break the outer 

 cuticle of the Lycopodium sporules, and so to free 

 the inside contents ; the trituration form, therefore, 

 certainly appears to be the best method of preparing 

 and administering the drug in its lower attenuations. 

 If made at all as a strong tincture, the previous 

 experiments conclusively show that ether, and not 

 alcohol, should be the vehicle used. In this series 

 of experiments I have merely endeavoured to make 

 good a theory that will reconcile opposite state- 

 ments respecting the therapeutic value of a parti- 

 cular substance. In so doing I would not be so 

 presumptuous as to say that in no case will the 

 Lycopodium sporules, if taken in their ordinary 

 form, affect the system either curatively or other- 

 wise. This lies within the province of the medical 

 practitioner to determine, and exactly opposite 

 statements on the point have been made." 



ZOOLOGY. 



Spawn of Progs and Toads.— In the last num- 

 ber of Science-Gossip, a correspondent, " G. S.," 

 in his paper on the " Spawn of Progs and Toads," 

 asks — "Whether the eggs of the water lizard, or 

 newt, are laid at different times " ; to which I 

 answer, "They are so laid." Having had the 

 smooth newt in a small aquarium the last three 



