APPENDIX. ]77 



^ _ 



digitalis. He considers au infusion of tlic frait to ho prcferaljlc to 

 all other preparations : the infusion may be preserved from deteriora- 

 tion by the addition of a little glj-cerine or spirit. Dr. von Oefcle 

 considers that a maximum dose of | of a gram of the raw drug or its 

 equivalent in solution should not bo exceeded in the 2 jt hours. 

 {Nouvcanx Remcdes^ Jan. 24, 1892.) 



Huntoria corymbosa, noxh., Wight Ic, tt. 428, 1234; Bedd, 



For, FL iu, U 2G5. 



The bark of this tree, a native of the Deccan Peninsula, Coro- 

 maudel Coast, Tavoy, Penang, and Ceylon^ has been shown by 

 Greshofi ( J/6Y/t'^. ?n7 S^lands FlanL, vii., p. 55) to contain 0*3 per 

 cent, of a crystalline alkaloid, which also forms crystalline salts, and 

 i'ives a beautiful violet coloration with Erdmann's and Frohde's 



reagents. It is a strong poison, and has a sharp^ burning taste, even 

 wheu diluted to 1: 10,000. 



Vinca pusilla. 



This plant is called Mulakapnndu in Tamil, and the ryots of South 

 Arcot say tliat if cattle graze npon it they become giddy and 

 die. Wc have chemically examined this plant, and iiud that the 

 poisonous pz'operty is due to an alkaloid named Vincine^ which h 

 distinguished by giving a carmine -red colour with pure nitric acid. 



ASCLEPIADEiE. 



Gymnema sylvostro. 



In doses of 0'3 to 0*4 gram, gymnemic acid acts as an emetic. In 

 much smaller doses it is stated to be very effective for dii^tinguishing 

 the taste of bitter drugs. For this pui'poso a f per cent, aqueous 

 solution containing a small addition of alcohol is used for rinsing the 

 mouth immediately before taking the medicine. 



The acid is obtained by moistening the powdered plant with a 

 solution of caustic soda, allowing the moist mass to stand in a per- 

 colator for two days, and then extracting with benzin. After 

 removing the benzin from the percolate by distillation, the residue 

 thus left is repeatedly washed with ether and dried. The pro- 

 duct forms a brownish crystalline powder, whicli is soluble in 100 

 parts of water, freely soluble in ulcuhul and insoluble in ether and 

 chloroform. It is decomposed by aoid?^. {A. Qnirfn?) Phurm. Zeilung, 

 IF^l, 401.) 



