APPENDIX. 151 



According to Gresho5(3/^£/^i. idt. Stands Flarit,, vii., p. 12) it has 

 a poAverfiilly poisonous action on fish, a decoction of the roots being 

 fatal even when diluted with 300^000 parts of water. The only active 

 constituent isolated is a resinous substance termed derrid^ which 

 does not contain nitrogen, and is not a giucoside ; it readily dissolves 

 in alcohol, ether, chloroform, and amyl alcohol, but is very spar- 

 ingly soluble in water and potash solution. On fusion with potash, 

 it yields salicylic and protocatechuic acids. It occurs almost entirely 

 in the cortex of the root, but has not yet been obtained pure. Its 

 alcoholic solution has a slightly acid reaction, and a sharp aromatic 

 taste, causing a partial insensibility of the tongue, which remains 

 for hours. A solution of 1 part in 5 millions is almost instantly 

 fatal to fish. A very similar compound is found in the seeds of 

 Pachyrhizus angulatus^ Rich., a decoction of which is quickly fatal in 



a dilution of 1:125,000. It is pi'obably identical with denid, but 

 until this has been experimentally proved it may be distinguished 

 as Pachyrhizid, It is very readily prepared from Pachyrhizus^ which 

 occurs. in all tropical countries, as the tannin compounds, usually so 

 difficult to separate, are not found in this plant. The seeds also 

 contain a non -poisonous, crystalline compound, which is x'eadily 

 soluble in alcohol, and has at 30° the consistence of butter. 



Sophora tomentosa, Linn^ 



The plant formerly renowned as a medicine (" Aniicholerica Ram- 

 phii^^) contains a poisonous alkaloid, soluble in ether, which is 

 contained in largest quantity in the seeds. A small quantity of this 

 substance, received by Professor Plugge as a thick red-brown fluid, 

 when tested physiologically, gave results indicating the probability 

 that it is identical with cytisine, the alkaloid of labmoium seeds, and 

 this probability was strengthened by the results of such chemical 

 and spectroscopical tests as were possible with the small quantity of 

 material available {Archiv, d. Pharm,y ccsxix., 561). Alkaloids have 

 previously been found in S, sjpeciosa and S. angustifoUa, but have 



not been closely investigated. 



Abrin. 



P. Ehrlich {Deutsche Med. Wokenschriff, 1891, No. 14) com- 

 pares the toxic properties of Abrin with those of Eicin. Injected 

 hypodermically, he finds abrin (Merck's) to be only half as poisonous 

 as ricin ; taken internally, it is still less active. 



