APOCYNACEM. 411 
- Description.—tThe ripe carpel is ovoid, 2 to 4. inches 
long, somewhat resembling a green mango, fibrous and woody 
within, and contains a. single broad, compressed, white seed, 
consisting of two irregularly attached oily cotyledons. 
Chemical composition.—Dr. de Vrij has separated from the 
Kernels a crystalline poisonous glucoside, probably the same 
as thevetin, and an alcoholic extract of the seeds when treated 
‘with hydrochloric acid gives a blue or —— -green colour as 
exhibited by Thevetia. 
"~ Professor Plugge, of Groningen, has made an investigation 
of the seeds with the following preliminary results. 25 grams 
: of the powder, partially separated from oil. by expression, 
“were entirely freed from oil by extraction with benzol, and 
4 the remaining powder afterwards extracted with alcohol. 
From this aeeaile solution it was impossible to obtain any 
stalline body, although the solution contained a very poi- 
nous principle. The alcohol was evaporated, and the result- 
ing syrup was dissolved in a few c.c.of water. With this 
‘Solution subcutaneous injections were made on frogs, and it — 
was found that 0°5, 0° 2, 0°1, and even 0°05 e. c. caused’ death : 
in from five minutes to one hodns The symptoms arechiefly— __ 
) stoppage of the respiration, or in smaller doses, irregularity 
of the respiration ; (2) violent and repeated vomiting ; ; (3) gene- 
al paralysis ; and (4) finally stopping of the heart in contrac- 
n (systole). It seems that the poisonous principle of 
Jerbera seeds is not only a strong poison of the heart, that, 
e digitalin, stops the heart. in systole, but also has a very 
marked action on the respiration. The watery solution of 
erin (?) was not precipitated by alkaloid-reagents, with 
exception of phosphomolybdic acid. e principle can 
best separated from the watery solution of the alcoholic 
ract, by first shaking it with petroleum saeatiors and then 
the <oepiian with chloroform. 
