20 



• "Proceedings of the New York MicroscopL. 



In exchange. 



)ical ) 



Society" 



"Grcvillea" Purchased. 



"British Desmids/' Part 3 „ 



" Annals of Natural History " ... ... ... „ 



Mr. H. Epps read a paper on " Kola" — a new commercial plant, said to 

 possess some very remarkable properties. The subject was illustrated by 

 the exhibition of a growing plant, also by specimens of the nuts, together 

 with samples of the powder prepared therefrom, and by sections of the 

 nut shown under the microscope. Samples of the powder, &c, were 

 offered for distribution amongst those members who were interested in the 

 subject. 



The President said they were very much obliged to Mr. Epps for his 

 interesting communication. He perfectly well remembered the evening 

 when the subject was brought before the Linnean Society, and was much 

 struck by the evidence which was given — as it seemed quite by accidental 

 circumstance — in confirmation of the statements made by the reader of the 

 paper. Mr. Christy brought the matter before the Society as something 

 new, and a gentleman who was present, and said he was a West India 

 planter, got up and stated that he was quite well acquainted with the 

 plant and the effects of its preparations, and then told how he had a fore- 

 man who was an excellent servant, but whose one drawback was his liking 

 for spirituous liquors. This man used to indulge freely in drink as soon as 

 work was over on Saturday, and remained under its influence until the 

 middle of Sunday, when his wife gave him a spoonful of the prepared kola, 

 which had the effect of rapidly counteracting the effects of the alcohol, and 

 enabled him to appear at the house and take his orders intelligently. 

 There appeared to be several other persons in the room who were 

 acquainted with the power of the kola nut as an antidote to alcoholic 

 poisoning. The repugnance with which alcohol was regarded by persons 

 to whom this drug had been administered was possibly a property upon the 

 advantages of which everyone might not be entirely agreed, but it was 

 probable that the nut possessed a stimulating property which might have a 

 sustaining action, and this, together with its peculiar antagonism to alcohol, 

 made it an exceedingly interesting production, and one well worthy of the 

 attention of a Society such as theirs. 



The thanks of the meeting were voted to Mr. Epps for his communi- 

 cation. 



Announcements of meetings, &c, for the ensuing month were then made 

 and the proceedings terminated with the usual Conversazione, the follow- 

 ing objects being exhibited : — 



Palmodicti/un virida, Pbrticellidce, &c. ... ... Mr. F. W. Andrew. 



Alcyonella fungosa ... ... ... ... Mr. C. Emery. 



Antenna of moth, Salumia carp in i ... ... Mr. F. Encck. 



Sections, Kola bean, Cola acuminata ... ... Mr. H. Epps. 



Poduridce smynthurus ... ... ... ... Mr. J. D. Hardy. 



