178 Dk. Mitchell un (he Physiological Actions of Spartine and Scoparine. 



their composition and general chemical relations, having probably analo- 

 gous physiological actions. Amongst the substances referred to, I may 

 enumerate the two yellow colouring principles from the bois jaunc or 

 morus tinctoria, the morine and moritannic acid of isomeric composition, 

 the quercitannic acid, the purreeic acid, the morindiue from the morinda 

 citrifolia, &c. &c. 



With these remarks I terminate, for the present, the consideration of 

 scoparine, although, after pointing out the physiological actions of spartine, 

 I shall have occasion briefly to revert to it. 



Spartine. — This substance, a volatile oil, has a strong and persistent 

 odour of tobacco. Its taste is acrid and bitter. It acts locally as an 

 irritant. When applied to the mucous lining of the eye, it produces red- 

 ness and pain ; and, indeed, to whatever part applied, as, for instance, to 

 a cut surface, it excites immediate expressions of suffering. These 

 local effects, however, are lost in the remote action of the drug. 



Obs. I. When a couple of drops of the oil were laid upon the tongue 

 of a young dog, symptoms'of uneasiness from the local irritation were at 

 first observed, but these soon disappeared, and were followed by drowsi- 

 ness and loss of muscular power, which lasted for fifteen or twenty 

 minutes, and then gradually disappeared without producing any apparent 

 injury. 



When the dose was increased to three or four di-ops, and when the 

 base was saturated with acetic acid, the same symptoms were produced, 

 only in a more intense form. The animal made some staggering forward 

 movements, became drowsy, and at last fell asleep. Some slight convul- 

 sive movements were observed, but they were very trifling, and are better 

 styled tremors than convulsions. The respiration and pupils in these 

 cases remained unaff'ected, at least to any observable degree. 



Obs. II. When a single drop of the oil, dissolved in weak acetic acid, 

 was given to a young rabbit, a state resembling intoxication was pro- 

 duced after the lapse of two or three minutes ; the animal staggered in 

 walking, allowed its head to drop upon the floor, dragged its limbs for- 

 Mard, opened and shut its eyes heavily and slowly, and then adjusted 

 itself for sleep. From this state it soon recovered. When its posture 

 was rendered uncomfortable, it invariably made efforts to rid itself of the 

 annoyance, showing that the external senses are unimpaired or not wholly 

 destroyed, at least while the action of the drug is only carried thus far. 

 I was able also to satisfy myself that sight and smell were not materially, 

 if at all, affected. I repeated this observation several times on different 

 rabbits, increasing slightly the dose, and obtaining a corresponding 

 increase in the intensity of the symptoms, sometimes producing a depth of 

 narcotism and general paralysis, from which it seemed doubtful if the 

 animal would recover. I also found, in repeating these experiments, that 

 the substance acted more energetically when in combination, than wlien 

 exhibited in its pure state. 



Obs. III. Ill gradually increasing the dose, as detailed above, I ascer- 



