6 4 



THE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY. 



Amanita in a Reservoir. — It having been noticed that a fungus grows 

 in very great abundance upon the shores of the aqueduct which supplies 

 the City of Mexico with water, and that the dead bodies of these plants 

 fall into the water in large numbers, the species was examined by Dr. M. 

 Lozano y < 'astro on behalf of the [nstituto Medico NacionaL and found to 

 be Amanita muscorum. Its poisonous action on the lower animals was 

 studied experimentally. It was not shown, however, that it is responsible 

 for any of the diseases attributed to the use of the water. (See Ann. del. Inst. 

 Med. Nac, 3, No. 8, Aug., 1897.) 



In the same number Dr. Juan Martinez del Campo details his clinical 

 experiments in the Hospital of San Andres with Artemisia Mexicana, 

 Helenium Mexicanum, Croton morifolius and Casimiroa edulis. 



An important contribution to the subject of pepsin-testing has been 

 made by Alfred H. Allen in the Pharmaceutical Journal, and this is con- 

 veniently reprinted in the Druggist's Circular for February, page 33. 



Immunity to Alkaloids. — The American Druggist and Pharmaceuti- 

 cal Record (January 10, 1896, page 8) refers to the results of experiments by 

 C. Gioffredi, going to show that it is not only impossible to produce im- 

 munity in animals against the action of atropine and cocaine, but that, on 

 the contrary, their use in increasing doses tends to develop an increased 

 .susceptibility to the action of the poison. In the case of morphine a marked 

 tolerance seemed to lie established in dogs. The author found this to be 

 due to the development of an antitoxin in the blood. 



Rabies. — The British Board of Agriculture announces a great decrease 

 in rallies among dogs, lint L54 eases wvw returned for IS!);, against 438 in 

 1896 and 672 in 1895. This result is regarded as being the outcome of 

 more careful methods of restaint of dogs and of laws requiring that they be 

 muzzled. Might it not also in part be due to the fact that from better in- 

 formation a.s to what constitutes rabies, they were able to determine many 

 cases hitherto classed under that disease as being merely epileptic fits or 

 some similar temporary disorder? 



Poisoning: by Larkspur.— The A. )'. Med. Jour. (August 21, 189?) 

 reports on the poisoning of cattle in Montana by larkspur plants before 

 they have yet blossomed. Poisoning is so frequent and severe as to con- 

 stitute a serious danger. The treatment is ammonia given per stomach and 

 by inhalation, with sulphate of zinc. Digitalis and nux vomica have also 

 been found useful. 



A Unique Poisonous Plant. — A botanical monograph of unusual in- 

 terest is contributed by Mr. David Hopper, Assistant Curator. Economic and 

 Art Museum, Indian Museum, on Adhatoda vasica, illustrated by a colored 

 plate, and published as No. 10, Qlrtid-Book of Commercial Products, Im- 



