CACTE. 101 
e are various other species here on which the insect will 
? The report concludes with a description of a Mexican 
fopalry or cactus garden, which could be easily imitated in 
nany parts of India, 
The Indo-Portuguese of the present day, as well as the 
atives of India, highly esteem the fruits of O. Dillenii as a 
remedy in whooping cough and asthma. From a few experi- 
- ments we haye made with a syrup of the fruit, which is ofa 
_ splendid purple colour, it appears to increase the secretion of 
bile when given in teaspoonful doses 3 to 4 times a day, and 
to control ‘the spasmodic cough and expectoration. In one 
ase of asthma, due to the irritation of pregnancy, after every 
i 
turned. Eventually a cure was effected. In several cases 
of whooping cough, a similar effect was produced as long as 
the syrup was taken daily, and in a case of bronchial catarrh 
entirely stopped the cough and expectoration within 24 hours. 
Its action is probably due to the soluble malate of manganese 
which we have found contained in the fruit. Kobert has 
own that the salts of this metal when injected into the 
ood or subcutaneously, paralyse voluntary movement and 
reflex action, and stop the heart in diastole; the paralysis 
of reflex action being due to the destruction of the transverse 
_ conduction of the spinal cord, longitudinal conduction remain- 
ing intact. 
Chemical composition. —'The air-dried fruit heated to 100°C, 
lost 26°21 per cent. in weight. The ash amounted to 9°65 per 
cent., and was of a very light dirty reddish colour. Chemically 
the ash was of interest on account of the extremely — 
amount of manganese present. Boiling water extracted 46°99 
per cent. of yellowish extractive, which contained 4-00» per 
cent- of ash. The solution had an acid reaction, and re 
reduced an alkaline cupric solution on boiling. e 
was a —— apiat 
