PRELIMINARY NOTES ON SOME NEW 

 POISONOUS PLANTS. 



By THOS. L. BANCROFT, M.B., Edin. 



[Bead before the Roi/al Societij of Queendand, Fehruanj 7th, 1891.] 



(a.) Pevicampiilm incanus, Miers ; Cucculufi Moorei, F. v. M. 

 Order Menispermacefe. The bark of the rhizome of this 

 plant has a bitter taste. It contains an active poison 

 which can be precipitated from a decoction by many 

 alkaloidal reagents, but not by alkaHes or their carbonates. 

 The poisonous substance is apparently new and worthy 

 of careful investigation by chemists. The physiological 

 action it has upon frogs suggests that it might be 

 a useful therapeutic agent ; frogs affected by it remain 

 quiet, -apparently asleep, no convulsions occur and the 

 heart comes to a standstill in diastole. Neither motor 

 nerves nor muscles are primarily affected. 



(b.) Sarcopetaluni Han-eijanum, F. v. M., also one of the 

 Menispermaceae. The stem of this plant has a bitter-sweet 

 taste. An extract of it is very poisonous ; in physiological 

 action like Pericampylus incanus. There are two alkaloids 

 at least in this plant ; they can be separated in the 

 following manner : — Make a decoction, to which add 

 carbonate of ammonia until no further precipitation occurs ; 

 separate the precipitate, Avliich is an alkaloid, whose salts 

 have a bitter-sweet taste and physiologically little effect 

 upon frogs. To the decoction now add tannic acid, which 

 causes a precipitate of the active principle. 



