BY JOSKPH LAUTKRKR, M.D. 11 



influence of which it Hves. Professor Rennie, of Adelaide, has 

 published in one of the proceedings of the Advancement of 

 Science a short paper stating- the occurrence of a large amount of 

 Aesculin in the leaves of l^ursaria spinosa, a tiny shrub also 

 common in the Moreton Bay district. He states this beautiful 

 fluorescent body to be so plentiful in the leaves, that one could 

 be induced to believe the lovely coloration of the blue crater lake 

 on Mount Gambler was caused by the Aesculin derived from the 

 leaves fallen in the lake from I>ursaria spinosa growing 

 abiindantly on the slopes of the old volcano. Now, liursaria 

 spinosa from the Moreton Bay district does not contain the 

 slightest trace of Aesculin at any time of the year, as I am 

 positively certain by the examination of a large quantity of 

 Bui'saria leaves identified by our renowned C'oloniul Botanist, 

 F. M. Bailey. 



In a similar way Mr. IJmney, in the Pharmaceutical 

 Journal, England, has stated that essential oils obtained from 

 plants grown in America are for instance dextrogyrate, whereas 

 the oil derived from exactly the same variety cultivated in Europe 

 may be laevogyrate. All this must be taken into consideration 

 when the results of scientific workers in diti'erent countries are 

 compared together, and judged respecting their positive value. 



As to the toxicological action of the poisonous Macrozamia 

 resin it did, in all guinea pigs and cats experimented upon, only 

 produce the symptoms of Gastroenteritis followed by death when 

 administered internally and of local irritation, phlegmone and 

 suj)puration when locally injected. 



As the Government allowed me to extend my experiments 

 on young cattle in good condition I tried to elucidate the second 

 point which can be objected to Mr, Edwards' experiments, 

 namely, that it is not likely for any organic poison to produce 

 spinal Meningitis with effusion directly. 



Mr. Pound had the kindness to watch the experiments with 

 me. 



On the Quarantine Station, in Indooroopilly, of three calves 

 the first one was fed with good lucerne chatf to which about 

 eight pounds per day of finely cut leaves of partly flowering; 

 specimens of Macrozamia spiralis were added. At first it ate 



