LILIACEM 499 



have a similar action. Pliny describes their emetic, purgative, 

 maturative, and drying powers, and, referring to their soporific 

 virtue, says, " et a narce narcissum dictum non a fabuloso 

 puero." The Arabs give a similar account of them. Orfila's 

 experiments upon dogs show that they act as local irritants, 

 and also exert a depressant and paralysing effect upon the 

 brain and whole nervous system. In man small doses are 

 emetic ; recently from 15 to 30 grains of .the flowers of the 



common daffodil have been recommended as an emetic for 

 children. ' 



The following is an analyses of the corms of Narcissm 

 Tazetta : — 



Ether extract •• 



39 



Alcoholic extract l'^2 



Water extract 10-24 



Starch .. 

 Cellulose 



71-86 

 3-84 

 1-90 



Ash 



Moisture 10-75 



The ether extract was fragrant and greasy. The alcoholic 

 extract contained an alkaloid, bitter and acrid in taste, and a 

 resin. Malic acid was present. 



HIRANYA-TUTTHA. 



flr'^ ^ 



vema 



tuttha or Haran-tutiya. It is a medicine of great repute m 

 Afghanistan and Northern India, and is a dark-brown dry 

 extract, sold in smaU pieces, which is prepared from the corms 

 of Colchicum luteum (Baker), and possibly from other species of 



Colchicum. In Sanskrit 



is a term 



copper 



plant 



