204 DEOSERA EOTUNDIFOLIA. CHAP. IX 



of the protoplasm, but, except when pure, has very moderate 

 power of inducing inflection, and still less power of causing 

 a motor influence to be transmitted from the discal glands to 

 the outer tentacles. It is moderately poisonous. 



Atropine.A. grain was added to 437 grains of water, but 

 was not all dissolved ; another grain was added to 437 grains of 

 a mixture of one part of alcohol to seven parts of water; and 

 a third solution was made by adding one part of valerianate of 

 atropine to 437 of water. Half-minims of these three solutions 

 were placed, in each case, on the discs of six leaves ; but no 

 effect whatever was produced, excepting that the glands on 

 the discs to which the valerianate was given were slightly 

 discoloured. The six leaves on which drops of the solution 

 of atropine in diluted alcohol had been left for 21 hrs. 

 were given bits of meat, and all became in 24 hrs. fairly well 

 inflected ; so that atropine does not excite movement, and is 

 not poisonous. I also tried in the same manner the alkaloid 

 sold as daturine, which is believed not to differ from atropine, 

 and it produced no effect. Three of the leaves on which drops 

 of this latter solution had been left for 24 hrs. were likewise 

 given bits of meat, and they had in the course of 24 hrs. a good 

 many of their submarginal tentacles inflected. 



Veratritie, Colchicinc, Theine. Solutions were made of these 

 three alkaloids by adding one part to 437 of water. Half-minims 

 were placed, in each case, on the discs of at least six leaves, but 

 no inflection was caused, except perhaps a very slight amount 

 by the theine. Half-minims of a strong infusion of tea like- 

 wise produced, as formerly stated, no effect. I also tried similar 

 drops of an infusion of one part of the extract of colchicum, sold 

 by druggists, to 218 of water : and the leaves were observed for 

 48 hrs., without any effect being produced. The seven leaves on 

 which drops of veratrine had been left for 26 hrs. were given 

 bits of meat, and after 21 hrs. were well inflected. These three 

 alkaloids are therefore quite innocuous. 



Curare. One part of this famous poison was added to 218 of 

 water, and three leaves were immersed in ninety minims of the 

 filtered solution. In 3 hrs. 30 rn. 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 lirs. two of the 

 loaves had most of their tentacles sub-inflected, but the inflec- 

 tion 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 



